Of Mexican origin the Prickly Pears (Opuntia Ficus Indica) has been disseminated in Italy with the Spanish colonizzatori. The Prickly Pears comes mostly cultivated in Sicily, where it contributes to the formation of the typical Mediterranean landscape. After Mexico, Italy is according to world-wide producer of Prickly Pears and the Sicily, where the climate and the nature of the ground are particularly favorable for the production of fruits of elvata quality, represents the maximum manufacturer between all the Italian regions.

The Prickly Pears is cultivated in two areas very distinguished one from the other: before it is more important by extension, it is the zone center oriental who ago head to common of Saint Cono, area characterized from one young colture of Prickly Pears and highly specialized. The second one, in the etnea zone, interests the territories of Belpasso, Militello, Paternò, Adrano and Biacavilla, anch' characterized they from specialistic ficodindicoltura. The fruit of the plant is one berry of appreciated ovoidale shape from the consumers for the detached exotic taste. Three varieties of fruit exist: the yellow dictates " Sulfarina ", the red one or " the called white woman also " Muscaredda " Bleeds " and, that they have considerably different tastes between they. The disseminated varità more is the yellow that is introduced like most resistant to the climatic adversities regarding the others. In the northern regions the market predlige more mature the red fruit why erroneously thought; however many consumers prefer the fruit white man why perceived as sweeter fruit

Each variety can give origin, in relation to the type of practical adopted colturale, to two tipologie of Prickly Pears: the mature fruit that to August, saying " Agostano ", recognizable for the smaller dimensions regarding that harvest to October, saying also "Bastardone ". This last one is obtained putting into effect the practical colturale of the "scozzolatura " with which it is succeeded, through a thinning of the small fruits, to obtain subsequently it yields more large. The of the therapies for the improvement of the renal functions. in virtue of its content in sugar and amino acids favors the diuresi and is for this indicated from the doctors to support of the therapies for the improvement of the renal functions.