State of the World from NPR Mexico’s Popular But Forbidden Edible Cactus
Sep 26, 2025
Eder Peralta, NPR's Mexico correspondent specializing in cultural and environmental topics, dives into the delicate issue of a once-popular candied cactus, acitron. As this ingredient faces extinction, he explores its integral role in the traditional dish, chile en nogada. Vendors at Mexico City's La Merced market express customers' emotional ties to this unique flavor. Experts discuss the challenges of cultivating the slow-growing biznaga cactus, while chefs like Ricardo Muñoz Zurita adapt recipes to protect this fading culinary tradition.
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Market Demand Persists Despite Ban
- Vendors at La Merced openly sell acitron despite its illegality and customers ask for it every year.
- Maria Julia Gutiete buys acitron annually to honor family Independence Day traditions and cries when she describes its importance.
Barrel Cacti Face Slow Growth And Extinction
- Many barrel cacti species are nearing extinction because they grow extremely slowly and face habitat loss.
- Salvador Arias explains that some rescued cacti were airlifted after dam construction destroyed their habitats.
Modular Growth Makes Nopales Sustainable
- Nopales thrive because they grow modularly and humans can harvest new shoots without killing the plant.
- That modular growth contrasts with wiznaga/biznaga, which die if harvested whole, making nopales sustainable.