PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS

I found this growing on the beach dunes 6 months ago and finally it looks alive with it's new "joint". If it does live and produce a neon fruit that I read tastes like a cross between all-natural bubblegum (if indeed there is such a thing) and watermelon.

Many animals eat the fruits and disperse the seeds, including bear, tortoise, and coyote, and the javalina will eat the fruit and the prickly pads.