Opuntia demand is making cultivation of the insect an attractive opportunity in other regions, such as in Mexico, where cochineal production had declined again owing to the numerous natural enemies of the scale insect. Apart from cochineal, the red dye betanin can be extracted from some "Opuntia" plants themselves. Fluid ("cactus juice") extracted from "Opuntia" pads and stems, especially "O. ficus-indica", is one of the most commonly used additives in earthen plaster. The flesh ("mucilage") of the cactus has been found to purify water. A project at the University of South Florida is investigating its potential for low-cost, large-scale water purification.
Opuntia fragilis in). Both the common and scientific names refer to the easily detached stem segments. This is known to be a means of plant dispersal. "Opuntia fragilis" is a small, prostrate plant, rarely more than 4 inches high: joints tumid, fragile, easily detached, oval, elliptical, or subglobose, 1-2 in. long and nearly as thick as broad, bright green: areoles ¼-½ in. apart, with whitish wool and a few white to yellow bristles, which are much longer and more abundant on older joints; spines 1-4, occasionally a few small additional ones, weak, dark brown, the upper one usually longer and stronger than