In Bruegel's [The Land of Cockaigne](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Land_of_Cockaigne_(Bruegel)), 1567, there appears to be a Optunia cactus depicted on the right side of the painting.
Given that this painting was made 75 years after Columbus's first expedition to the new world, the introduction of New World cactus to Europe, must have been a relatively recent event.
Do we know how cactus knowledge and cultivation spread from the Old World to the New World?
As a Dutch painter Breugel would have been familiar with the form (if not the actual living plants) of Optunia ("tunal") cactuses. Acosta's Natural and Moral History of the Indies from 1590 includes a detailed description of this plant and also highlights its importance to painting- the plant is the primary host of the cochineal insect, used to produce a striking red pigment which Breugel the Elder used (in e.g. The Wedding Dance, https://www.dia.org/about/features/bruegels-wedding-dance-revealed). The Netherlands were under Spanish rule through Breguel the Elder's lifetime and Antwerp was a major hub for the cochineal trade. I do not believe cochineal was cultivated in Europe in Breugel's lifetime. LaVerne Dutton's master's thesis at cochineal.info is a decent treatment if this topic, with many citations. The "cactus" in this painting may be made of loaves or oatcakes in keeping with the theme of the painting.