the edible cactus fruit is called tuna. Flat and oval-shaped, nopales are covered with spines—though some commercial pads are grown without them. The nopal cactus is native to Mexico and the ...

Nopales are the pads or leaves of the nopal cactus or the prickly pear (botanical name, Opuntia ficus-indica) and are usually eaten as vegetables; the edible cactus fruit is called tuna.