For hundreds of years, the cactus, particularly the prickly pear cactus, has long been a staple
in the diet of many Mexican and Latin American people. Also revered as a source of national pride in Mexico,
the prickly pear cactus is featured on the Mexican flag with an eagle standing atop the cactus and a serpent
caught in its beak to symbolize the location where the ancient Aztecs were instructed by their gods to build the
great City of Tenochtitlan, where Mexico City now stands.
