Opuntia

Opuntia, also known as the prickly pear cactus, nopales, or paddle cactus, is a large group of flowering plants in the cactus family. These cacti grow naturally from Canada to Chile and Argentina. Opuntia typically has flat, round pads called cladodes. These pads have large, smooth spines and small, hairlike prickles known as glochids, which can stick to skin or hair and easily detach from the plant.