I was shocked to find out that Eastern prickly pear was native in the ridge and valley! I saw it all over a roadside when I first moved here and asked about it and was so excited.
In California we’d dethorn and then cut the nopales into strips and use them in dishes- sort of like they were bell pepper strips. I honestly haven’t had much of the fruit but this thread: Eastern prickly pear for the fruit makes me want to try it.