4. Harvest them now — most of the fruit is ripe by mid-August. Don't pick any that have green ends; they should be a full ruby color. As you twist them off the pad, they should pop off immediately and dribble a little juice.

How do you know when tuna is ready?

To pick out ripe cactus fruit, you'll want to look for a few signs: firm skin, and no signs of decay such as bruises, soft spots or mold. Red cactus fruit or tunas rojas, when ripe, should be a deep red color, with little or no green on the skin.

What time of year do prickly pears ripen?

Prickly Pear, cactus fruit, tuna (Spanish), figure de Barbary (French) – whatever name you call it - this delicious plant has much to offer and is ripe for the picking! Late summer through early winter, September through December, is the peak season for Prickly Pears in the Northern hemisphere.