Because the younger plant eventually transforms itself into the older plant's trunk and branches, I love looking at all of them for a long time and trying to see all the different ages of nopales in the same plant.
Mexico is the country where nopal is most popularly found, which is lucky for me because I get to see it all the time! It also grows in Central and South America, Southwestern United States, and some countries in Africa. The climate it survives the best in is called semi-arid to sub-tropical. Nopal has lived in Mexico for many years and used to be very important to the indigenous groups, for example the Aztecs, that lived in Mexico in the pre-Hispanic era.
The unique quality of the nopal is that its own leaves change into branches. In this way, the plant uses its own self, a very immediate part of its environment, to grow. Nopal has a lot of potential to be a powerful plant in the future of farming because it is very sustainable, or good for the longterm health of environment. For example, in terms of water usage, nopal is good for the planet because it can survive in arid climates without needing too much water.
As with most plants, there are some insects and diseases that can cause harm to nopal. Moth plague is considered a natural enemy of the plant, but in recent years the infestation has been kept under control to a safe level. The worries related to the nopal plant are similar to worries that surround many crops and important plants today.
