[naturecollective.org] Hybrid, Habitat, Food Source, Insect & Spider host: There are probably several species of prickly pear growing in the Reserve. The most common appears to be the western prickly pear (Opuntia x occidentalis), which is a naturally occurring hybrid of three species and is usually found in openings in the coastal sage scrub. In spite of the fierce spines, the blades and fruit were important food for Native Americans, and the pads (nopales) and fruit (tunas) can still be found in Mexican markets and restaurants. Prickly pear hosts a variety of herbivorous insects and predatory spiders. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)