Post #807591 by Prikli Pear on Wed, Jan 25, 2023 12:40 PM

Invasive species are always an issue. Prickly pear are common here in Texas and throughout the Southwest but lots of things eat them despite their thorny protection. The green pads (nopales) are tasty and popular in Mexican cuisine when young. I use it in salsa. Obviously, nothing native to Australia eats it and therefore it's become a major problem. Likewise with cane toads--they're kept in check in their native South American environment (actually, they may be threatened. There's a fungal infection devastating amphibian populations throughout the Americas right now, with no end in sight). Here in Texas we've been dealing with nasty South American fire ants and Africanized "killer bees" for more than half a century now. Invasives are the worst...