If you remember Sylvia, The sulcata rescue with a very deformed shell and his neck was so short that he had a hard time eating off the ground. I was trying to come up with ideas to make it easier for him to eat, This came to mind and it worked so well for him I started doing it for everyone.I never doubted that you could keep those plants alive. I stuck a few pads of the same type in pots after shipping yours and they are doing great, I think we have another new cold hardy spineless that is a quick grower. I will post a pic of them tomorrow.Chuckle! Oh Walker!
What a good idea. How did you ever think of it?
Incidentally, the two pads you sent me are both growing. I thought the brown one (the one with roots in the middle of the side of the pad) was dead, but a new little sprout has popped out. AND!!! the dead banana trees are no longer dead.
That is a piece of aluminum that is driven into the ground to hold the pot in place.That is very clever. I love it. Is the stick sunk into the ground so it won't tip over or did you do something else?
This is what you have seen it is a humifusaThis cold hardy cactus you speak of. Do you know the name of it and do you know if it's like snowy winters, possible a day or two minus temps hardy? I know of one kind of cactus (can't remember the name) that I can grow here that will survive my winters. However, they are really low clusters that stay close to the ground, at least every time I have seen them and really covered with lots of thorns and not the easiest to try and harvest pads from. Would love to grow some easier ones.
There is a spineless humifusa
The new (to me) cactus you are asking about was unknown to me until the end of February of this year. What I got was grown within a mile from from here. They were big plants that stood tall over winter. I gave most of it to the guy that is keeping the adult female sulcatas I had. I dumped a bag of it out for Walker to nibble on, and pretty much forgot about it until getting a box of plants ready to ship out west. Here are 3 pads that I planted since then.
I have seen this before, the new growth pads have some spines that will drop out as the pad matures.
Here are some of the other spineless I grow and are cold hardy

This last pic is a very fast grower that I have been working with for a few years now,
If you would like to try any of these I can send you some padsGot your address, Probably wont ship until next week, hope the temps drop some. I went ahead and cut some pads for you, they can be planted when you get them. The shipping cost for the USPS large box is just under $19 cant remember the exact number. This has large spines but would you like some it just to grow.Omg yes please. I will reimburse you for shipping or I can pay it beforehand which ever you want.
If you could send me ones you think will grow and survive outside with my winters. They would be planted in full sun until around 5-5:30 summer, 4-4:30 winter.
Thank you, I will pm my address.
Thank you again.

Yes pleaseGot your address, Probably wont ship until next week, hope the temps drop some. I went ahead and cut some pads for you, they can be planted when you get them. The shipping cost for the USPS large box is just under $19 cant remember the exact number. This has large spines but would you like some it just to grow.View attachment 213102
Thanks,I have sacrificed many cactus trying to find whether or not they can survive our cold wet winters. I pretty much only mess with opuntia now. I have more with spines than the spineless type that I grow just because I enjoy growing them. Some tend to fascinate me on an almost daily bases, like this pad I cut today for Walkers evening snack. I don't remember ever having this much growth on one padThat's a great collection of varieties and species you have. I have a dozen or so types now too. It's maybe more addictive than the tortoises that eat the bounty.
I guess I'm addicted.Got your address, Probably wont ship until next week, hope the temps drop some. I went ahead and cut some pads for you, they can be planted when you get them. The shipping cost for the USPS large box is just under $19 cant remember the exact number. This has large spines but would you like some it just to grow.View attachment 213102
Years back someone on a cactus forum identified it as an O,robusta or robusto I can't remember which. How the blooms work, They all open as yellow and slowly turn orange as the day goes on. They produce a lot of fruit, the pic doesn't show the whole patch but it had about 1000 blooms. I stopped counting at 800 as I did a daily pic of 50 for Walker to eat. Want some?I like the combo of orange and yellow flowers on this one. Any idea what the name of this type of cactus is?
Does this look anything like yours? I've never tasted cactus.This is Walkers second favorite way to eat cactus pads.