By Raymond                                            H.C.R. No. 77
       74R5225 BNL-D
                                 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 an official state symbol will provide
   1-10  suitable recognition for this robust 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; both the
   1-15  sweet, fleshy fruit and the broad, flat leaves are edible, making
   1-16  the prickly pear cactus one of the few plants in Texas to be
   1-17  considered both a fruit and a vegetable at the same time; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, While many Southwesterners are familiar with tunas,
   1-19  the prickly pear fruit, few are aware that nopalitos, which are
   1-20  made from the leaves, are nutritious substitutes for such
   1-21  vegetables as green beans, bell peppers, okra, and squash; tunas
   1-22  and nopalitos have long been staples of the Mexican diet, and their
   1-23  growing popularity in Lone Star cuisine can be attributed to
   1-24  Texans' appreciation for unusual and distinctive foods; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, In recent years, the prickly pear cactus has been
    2-2  successfully exported and naturalized to tropical areas around the
    2-3  world, and it has proven to be a popular landscape choice for all
    2-4  who want to have a little bit of Texas in their own backyards; and
    2-5        WHEREAS, This adaptable plant can survive under many
    2-6  different environmental conditions, and thus can be found from the
    2-7  hill country of Central Texas to the windswept plateaus and arid
    2-8  mountains of West Texas; since it thrives in a harsh climate that
    2-9  few plants can bear, the prickly pear cactus is often grown as
   2-10  forage for cattle and has had a tremendous positive impact on the
   2-11  vital Texas cattle industry; and
   2-12        WHEREAS, Because of its outstanding nutritional value as both
   2-13  a vegetable and a fruit and its hardy, aggressive nature, the
   2-14  prickly pear cactus has been successfully transported to dry,
   2-15  drought-prone areas in Haiti, Somalia, and India, where it has
   2-16  shown great promise in alleviating the famine and subsequent social
   2-17  unrest that often result from long dry spells; and
   2-18        WHEREAS, Rugged, versatile, and beautiful, the prickly pear
   2-19  cactus has made numerous contributions to the landscape, cuisine,
   2-20  and character of the Lone Star State, and its unusual status as
   2-21  both a vegetable and a fruit make it singularly qualified to
   2-22  represent the indomitable and unique Texas spirit as an official
   2-23  state symbol; now, therefore, be it
   2-24        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   2-25  hereby designate the prickly pear cactus as the official state
   2-26  vegetable fruit of Texas.