The Turk’s cap or Turk’s head cactus is a strange looking plant native to the Caribbean. I saw one for the first time on a recent hike in St John.

Actually, I saw more than one. There were hundreds of them clinging to the hillsides along the trail we were hiking. They have fat, barrel-shaped bodies, and dark red “caps” on top with thin spines.

The cactus doesn’t get very big; the tallest ones I saw might have been 3 feet.

I snapped some pictures because it was such an interesting sight.

Later, we passed an older hiker going the opposite direction. He stopped, pointed to the top of a cactus, and asked, “Do you know about these?”

Nope.

He said, “If you look closely at the top, sometimes you can find a tasty treat.” With that, the old man carefully plucked a small, pink fruit shaped like a tiny jalapeno pepper from the cactus cap, carefully avoiding the spines. He popped it into his mouth and ate it. “They’re really quite sweet,” he said, smiling as he resumed his hike.

As you can imagine, I was then on a quest to find my own piece of cactus fruit.

And I did.

And it was pretty sweet.

Since returning home, I have learned a little bit more about the Turk’s cap cactus, the Melocactus intortus for my botany nerd friends.

First, what I ate was not a fruit. It was a flower. That’s on me.

Second, the flowers only bloom after a rainfall, and they fall to the ground relatively quickly. Timing is everything.

Third, the Turks Islands in Turks and Caicos were named after this cactus. Who knew?

Of course, since everything is a learning opportunity with me, I am taking a few additional lessons from my hike and from my new friend the Turk’s cap cactus.

1. Odd-looking things you pass on your way to somewhere else are often concealing something interesting. Be curious.
2. Stop and talk with friendly people who want to share what they know. You might learn something worthwhile.
3. Brave the rains in life. Sometimes, it’s the only way to find a sweet reward.

If you are ready to work with a professional who can help you brave the rains and find your own sweet surprises in life – let’s talk about how individual or team coaching may be a good solution for you. Schedule a call with me today!