Prickly pears are widespread throughout North America and range as far south as Argentina. The fruits of all species are edible though some are small and all are spiny. After de-spining the fruits can be eaten raw, added to stews, or cooked into jellies and jams. The pads or “nopales”, after de-spining, are used as a vegetable. Cactus pads are incredibly easy to transplant- simply dropping one on the ground can be sufficient to start a new plant.
