H.C.R. No. 44
                              HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, The State of Texas has traditionally recognized
    1-2  certain terrestrial forms indigenous to the state as official state
    1-3  symbols; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, The bluebonnet, the pecan tree, and the mockingbird
    1-5  are examples of some natural specimens that serve to symbolize the
    1-6  rich diversity of the plains, forests, skies, and mountains of our
    1-7  vast state; and
    1-8        WHEREAS, In keeping with this custom, the designation of the
    1-9  prickly pear cactus as the official state plant will provide
   1-10  suitable recognition for this hearty and beautiful denizen of the
   1-11  Texas landscape; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, A native of the American Southwest and the Sonoran
   1-13  Desert region of Mexico, the prickly pear cactus provided
   1-14  nourishment to the earliest inhabitants of those regions, and both
   1-15  the sweet, fleshy fruit and the broad, flat stems were incorporated
   1-16  into tasty dishes; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, Tunas, the prickly pear fruit, and nopales, which
   1-18  are made from the stem, have since become staples of the Mexican
   1-19  diet, and their growing popularity in Lone Star cuisine can be
   1-20  attributed to Texans' appreciation for unusual and distinctive
   1-21  foods; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, In recent years, the prickly pear cactus has been
   1-23  successfully exported and naturalized to tropical areas around the
   1-24  world, and it has proven to be a popular landscape choice for all
    2-1  who want to have a little bit of Texas in their own backyards; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, This adaptable plant can survive under many
    2-3  different environmental conditions, and thus can be found from the
    2-4  hill country of Central Texas to the windswept plateaus and arid
    2-5  mountains of West Texas; because it thrives in a harsh climate that
    2-6  few plants can bear, the prickly pear cactus is often grown as
    2-7  forage for cattle and has had a tremendous positive impact on the
    2-8  vital Texas cattle industry; and
    2-9        WHEREAS, Rugged, versatile, and uniquely beautiful, the
   2-10  prickly pear cactus has made numerous contributions to the
   2-11  landscape, cuisine, and character of the Lone Star State, and thus
   2-12  it is singularly qualified to represent the indomitable and proud
   2-13  Texas spirit as an official state symbol; now, therefore, be it
   2-14        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   2-15  hereby designate the prickly pear cactus as the official state
   2-16  plant of Texas.