This cactus doesn’t sting: University Flowers nails it with prickly pear post.
It’s practically gone viral.
A simple post promoting a bouquet made with a prickly pear cactus went mad after it was posted to Facebook by Polly Hamilton, owner of University Flowers & More in Stephenville.
Polly posted the photo on Aug. 27 and so far it’s been shared more than 4,300 times.
“It just took off,” Polly told Beneath the Surface News. “I’ve had calls from all across the nation wanting me to ship these arrangements, but unfortunately we can’t.”
Polly fell in love with the idea of incorporating cactus into flower arrangements after seeing it at a friend’s baby shower.
“I loved it, so we decided to use prickly pear to give it our own unique twist,” she said.
Photos of the arrangements, which start at $65, have prompted dozens of local orders.
“We’ve had so many orders that every few days we have to go out and cut more,” Polly said.
Prickly pear is seasonal with its peak running from late summer into early winter.
Here are a few more fun facts:
1. The prickly pear is both a fruit and a vegetable.
2. Native Americans discovered dozens of uses for the prickly pear including treatment for stomach issues, sunburns and cold symptoms.
3. About 20 varieties of prickly pear can be found in Texas.
4. The fruit of a prickly pear is said to taste like a combination of bubblegum and watermelon.
5. Prickly pear syrup is often used in margaritas.