The last time we made a beach trip, I spotted a patch of prickly pears and just grinned. You don’t see many of them in the Sandhills, but out along the North Carolina coast? They’re everywhere—like seashells with a bad attitude.
When I pointed them out to Bug and Belle, someone nearby blurted out, “Wait… why are there cacti in North Carolina?”
I kept quiet—no one likes a know-it-all at the beach—but the answer’s pretty simple: prickly pears are right at home here. These hardy little guys are native, popping up all along our coastal dunes, down through the South, across Mexico and the Caribbean, and—believe it or not—even as far north as Connecticut. They’ve been growing where they please long before anyone thought to question it.
And it’s not just the coast. You’ll find them sprinkled all across the state, even in the mountains, waiting to surprise somebody who swears cacti don’t belong in Appalachia.
Here’s the kicker: they’re not just pretty (and poky)—they’re edible. Folks forage the pads and fruit to grill, pickle, or even turn into the prettiest pink jelly you’ve ever seen. You just have to know what you’re doing. Those tiny bristles? They hurt like the dickens and will remind you real quick to handle them with care.
So next time you’re walking by the dunes and see a prickly pear, don’t just wonder why it’s there—stop and appreciate just how perfectly it fits. North Carolina’s full of surprises like that.
