In June 2024 we went to Corfú. Here I noticed that prickly pear cactus was different from how I remembered it. Usually I always see it as a total green plant with colorful fruits, there I had the chance to see how the plant is under the external layers of bright green pads.
Those are above dark brown pads that look dry on the exterior surface. This part of the plant looks more like a tree trunk than a cactus pad.