AbstractBesides being a source of healthy food and water in arid and semi‐arid lands, the Opuntia cactus plant (nopal) provides unique ecosystem services. In the last decade the plant's cladodes, fruits, flowers, and byproducts have become a source of valued bioproducts, increasingly used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries. Following an updated examination of the new uses of nopal's biological resources, this study suggests avenues to overcome the main obstacles to unleashing the full potential of Opuntia's bioeconomy. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd