Figuring Spinelessness: Luther Burbank and The Cactus Boom

Megan Martenyi recounts the cultural and political power of the spineless cactus. First publicized by Luther Burbank in his 1907 seed catalogue, The New Agricultural-Horticultural Opuntias, the spineless cactus promised to... [ view full abstract ]

Megan Martenyi recounts the cultural and political power of the spineless cactus. First publicized by Luther Burbank in his 1907 seed catalogue, The New Agricultural-Horticultural Opuntias, the spineless cactus promised to make “worthless land” valuable again. Amidst growing awareness that desertification was a consequence of colonial and industrial over-extraction, a “cactus craze” transformed the practical and imagined potential of arid land. However, as orders flowed in, Burbank became embroiled in debates over proper botanical knowledge and methods. Visions of abundant, profitable deserts faded quickly as the plant proved difficult to commodify. Though the spineless cactus did not become “the most important plant on earth for arid regions,” the marketing materials and reportage left in its wake provides critical insight into the tangled discourses and practices that enacted this arid weed.