The Hidden Treasures of Malta’s Prickly Pear Cactus
If you’ve ever walked through Malta’s countryside, chances are you’ve spotted the prickly pear cactus. With its wide, flat paddles bristling with spikes and its colourful fruit dotting the hedgerows, it’s hard to miss. Known locally as bajtar tax-xewk, this hardy plant is far more than a rugged backdrop, it’s a symbol of tradition, a source of nourishment, and a surprisingly versatile natural treasure.
In spring, the cactus puts on a brief but dazzling show. Colourful blossoms in yellow, red, and pink burst open, drawing in bees that dive headfirst into the pollen-filled petals. But blink and you’ll miss it, the flowering season is fleeting. If you’re lucky enough to catch it, you might spot five or six bees at once shimmying down into the blooms and emerging with pollen dusting their backs.
By August, those blossoms have transformed into the familiar prickly pears, plump, jewel-toned fruit covered in nearly invisible, hair-like spines that leap onto your skin at the slightest touch. Gorgeous, yes, but also a little vicious.
Harvesting them isn’t for the faint-hearted. Just ask Tony Borg of Mellieħa. Known for his homemade jams, Tony gathers prickly pears, figs, carob, and more from his land, located beneath limestone caves and nourished by natural springs. His secret weapon for reaching the trickier fruit? A simple pole fitted with two tin cans, used to twist the pears safely from their paddles. Then again, I’ve also seen Tony pluck them barehanded, something best left to the pros.
For the rest of us mere mortals, gloves are non-negotiable. The trick to picking prickly pears? Do it early in the morning, when the spines are still lying flat before they “wake up” for the day. After harvesting, the fruit is soaked and swirled in water, allowing the pears to brush against each other and shed their tiny spines. Once de-spined, you can slice off the top and bottom, cut straight down the centre, and peel back the skin to reveal the dazzling flesh inside. Some are a fiery magenta — the same neon hue you’ll find in prickly pear margarita mixes back in the States. But here in Malta, the fruit is enjoyed fresh, or turned into jams, sorbets, wines, salads, and smoothies.
And it’s not just the fruit that’s useful. The cactus paddles themselves, called nopales in Latin cuisine, are both edible and medicinal. Rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin C, they’re used to regulate blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and support liver detox. Cut one open and the gel inside resembles aloe vera, a natural skin soother, digestion aid, and even a plant-based deodorant. According to Tony, sliced paddles can help reduce sweating, an old remedy passed down through generations.
Sadly, the tradition of picking and preparing bajtar tax-xewk is fading. Few young people are learning the skill, and local grocers will tell you it’s becoming a lost art. Yet thanks to dedicated stewards like Tony, the knowledge survives, part ritual, part daily rhythm, wholly Maltese.
So the next time you pass a cactus-covered wall or a fruit-laden hedgerow, take a closer look. Malta’s prickly pears aren’t just a wild curiosity; they’re a colourful, living piece of local heritage, waiting to be rediscovered.
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