Opuntia other locations. Prickly pears (mostly "Opuntia stricta") were originally imported into Europe during the 1500s and Australia in the 18th century for gardens, and were later used as a natural agricultural fencing and in an attempt to establish a cochineal dye industry. They quickly became a widespread invasive weed, eventually converting of farming land into an impenetrable green jungle of prickly pear, in places high. Scores of farmers were driven off their land by what they called the "green hell"; their abandoned homes were crushed under the cactus growth, which advanced at a rate of per year. In 1919, the
Opuntia (seedless) cultivars are also available. In Mexico, prickly pears are often used to make appetizers, soups, and salads through entrees, vegetable dishes, and breads to desserts, beverages, candy, jelly, or drinks. The young stem segments, usually called "nopales", are also edible in most species of "Opuntia". They are commonly used in Mexican cuisine in dishes such as "huevos con nopales" (eggs with nopal), or "tacos de nopales". "Nopales" are also an important ingredient in New Mexican cuisine. "Opuntia ficus-indica" has been introduced to Europe, and flourishes in areas with a suitable climate, such as the south of France and southern