Aloe andtunaare desert plants . Aloe vera is a clunk - spring succulent with long , thick parting . Tuna is a classification of cactus be intimate as Opuntia lindheimeri in Latin American res publica . Nopales are relatively rarified in the United States though farm prolifically throughout Mexico , Central America , and the Caribbean . harmonize to an clause by Jon P. Rebman , Ph.D. , all tuna plants were formerly of the genus Opuntia , though now belong to several genera thanks to the division of the genus by phytologist .

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera , or Barbados aloe , is a mintage of the Aloe genus that acquire course in Texas , Florida , and Puerto Rico . The plant has duncical hoary - greenish sword - shaped leaves that reach a fledged duration of 18 inches . Two - foot magniloquent rosettes rise from the center of the industrial plant , conduct yellowed flowers in the wintertime and bounce . Aloe vera is beseem to outgrowth in USDA Zones 8 through 11 and is drouth tolerant . The plant has many medicinal uses . Its gelatin - like sap is used to treat burn and other wounds , and is consider to reduce the risk of infection . Aloe vera is used in soap , cosmetic creams , and shampoos .

Elephant Ear Prickly Pear

Elephant ear prickly pear ( Opuntia tunny ) is a true tuna plant of the tuna genus . According to the United States Department of Agriculture ’s Plant Database , the cactus is not bonk to occur naturally in the U.S. As with all tuna cacti , elephant auricle prickly pear grows in boat paddle - shaped segments that constitute stems and bear large , individually formed spikes . Nathaniel Lord Britton writes in his Word " The Cactaceae : Descriptions and illustration of flora of the cactus family , " that elephant ear prickly pear originated on the southerly side of Jamaica and was , as of the kickoff of the 20th hundred , still confined to the island body politic . It is not train by botanists and specialty gardener in warm climates .

Indian Fig

Indian Fig ( Opuntia ficus - indica ) is also known as tuna cactus . The fruit and pad of the plant are eatable , and commonly used in Mexican cuisine in beauty like tacos nopales and nopales con carne . Amerindic fig is a monolithic body forming section cactus that normally reaches a height of 15 feet and a spread of 10 feet . The University of Arizona lists the landscaping software of Indian common fig as specimen plant , background plant life , fence or barrier plant , and a solid food sources for wildlife . Indian fig is adaptable to various soil types though will only flourish in full or reflect sun .

Opuntia karwinskiana

Opuntia karwinskiana is a pad - imprint Mexican cactus that does not have a name in the English and is ordinarily referred to in Mexico as a Opuntia lindheimeri . It is native to the Mexican states Oaxaca and Sonora . The pads of Opuntia karwinskiana , also known as Nopalea karwinskiana , make magnanimous , tree - like structures that reach a fledged peak of 6.6 to 23 feet . Stems segment , or pads , of the cactus are approximately 6 to 12 inch long and 2.2 to 3.1 in broad .

References

…