Nopal or prickly pear as it is more commonly called is a member of the cactus family. It is native to the entire western hemisphere as well as Africa, Australia and the Mediterranean. It is a large cactus that can range in height from less than a foot to over 7 feet tall. The pads of the prickly pear are actually the stems of the plant and are where the moisture is stored. Its flowers are range from yellow, to red, to purple and bloom from July to August. Once the flowers are pollinated they produce small oblong fruit about 2 ½ inches long.

The use of cactus as a food source dates back to from between 5,000 to 7,000B.C. It was an important staple especially in arid regions. Archeologists believe that the cultivation of the prickly pear cactus allowed for the settlement of the arid lands of Mexico and the southwestern United States.