Generally the more growing room you give Opuntias (the nopale paddle-type cactus is a numerous group of one of the many subtribes of Opuntia, which itself has a lot of species), the larger they'll get. A pot with at least 3-5" larger growing space is suggested - they run wild when you give them a fresh home.

They like a good space for their roots unlike other cactus.They grow huge if you put them in the ground. I saw one in town that was 14' tall a couple of years agoâ¦. Then the cold front of cold fronts did it in.