The upcoming Wheeler Street Station is offering a unique and prickly gift to the community that is sure to stick in the minds of residents for years to come.
Wheeler Street Station is a three-story mixed-use project that is expected to break ground later this year. The development will be located on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Wheeler St. right in the heart of downtown Plant City. The building will feature commercial businesses on the bottom floor including restaurants and shops and residential units like luxury condos and studio lofts on the upper floors. There will also be green technologies incorporated into the establishment like rooftop solar power and electric car charging stations.
When the developer saw there was a large edible prickly pear cactus on the site they decided that rather than rip it up and dispose of the unique plant they would partner with the Garden Club to distribute portions of it to interested community members. The 2021 Annual Garden Fest will be held Sept. 25 in the downtown core, aka the train museum and McCall Park, 102 N. Palmer St.
Members of the Plant City Garden Club, who organize the Garden Fest each year, harvested the cactus Friday morning and took cuttings from the cactus to prepare them for distribution at the festival. Those interested in taking a piece home to add to their personal gardens will be given instructions on care to make the transplant an easy transition. They simply need to stop by the Garden Club’s booth at the festival to grab a free cutting.
“The Edible Prickly Pear Cactus, which is also known as the Paddle Cactus or Nopal Cactus, has pads, flowers and fruit that are edible after careful cleaning,” the release from Wheeler Street Station read. “The edible pads are often referred to as nopales, and the fruit is commonly called tuna fruit. The pads can be eaten raw or cooked. They have a lemony flavor and have a somewhat slimy texture similar to okra when cooked. The fruit of the cactus is used to make jams and jellies. The plant grows in full sun and usually ends up between 6 and 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. It is drought tolerant with little need for water. The instructions that will accompany each piece of the cactus will provide insight into the proper care of the plant.”
Garden Fest will be this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Plant City. It is free to attend as is parking in downtown. Visitors can shop among a variety of plant vendors, pick up garden art and accessories and peruse a variety of antiques and handmade crafts.
If you go:
What: Garden Fest
When: Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Robert W. Willaford Train Depot, 102 N. Palmer St.
Cost: Free to attend.