ID for Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I grow the spineless type.
The actual spines are very tiny.
Like human hair. Just about invisible.
(Not perfectly spineless)
Those look like your standard nopales that I see at Spanish grocery stores.
But yes. Your tortoise can eat it.
 

Relic

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Can anyone confirm that this is Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus that my tortoises can eat? View attachment 254778View attachment 254779
That's not the spineless variety, but it would still work. I've read how tortoises (at least some species) seem to ingest the spines as they eat it and suffer no ill effects, but I wouldn't risk it. I would scrape off the spines before feeding, or just cut up the pads and discard the areas with spines in them. A couple of decades ago, I took the family to Disney Land in California. There was a monstrous spineless cactus growing in our hotel parking lot. I broke off a pad and brought it home and stuck it in the ground. Grew like crazy, and I broke off pads from it and planted it in more areas of my yard. I've got tons of it now and a small yellow foot that is totally indifferent to it and a wife who hates it...
 

Pearly

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I grow the spineless type.
The actual spines are very tiny.
Like human hair. Just about invisible.
(Not perfectly spineless)
Those look like your standard nopales that I see at Spanish grocery stores.
But yes. Your tortoise can eat it.

Ed I’ll have to raid your garden on my next visit. I whacked my 20 yr old spineless down almost to the ground last year wanting to reshape it... well, it looks like I may have killed it. I’ll bring you bunch of seeds of my edible perennial flowers for few of your opuntia pads[emoji6]
 

Pearly

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That's not the spineless variety, but it would still work. I've read how tortoises (at least some species) seem to ingest the spines as they eat it and suffer no ill effects, but I wouldn't risk it. I would scrape off the spines before feeding, or just cut up the pads and discard the areas with spines in them. A couple of decades ago, I took the family to Disney Land in California. There was a monstrous spineless cactus growing in our hotel parking lot. I broke off a pad and brought it home and stuck it in the ground. Grew like crazy, and I broke off pads from it and planted it in more areas of my yard. I've got tons of it now and a small yellow foot that is totally indifferent to it and a wife who hates it...

My 2 RFs ignore it as well and will only eat it in chopped salad form mixed with other things. Cactus is very good for them. Loaded with nutrients
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Ed I’ll have to raid your garden on my next visit. I whacked my 20 yr old spineless down almost to the ground last year wanting to reshape it... well, it looks like I may have killed it. I’ll bring you bunch of seeds of my edible perennial flowers for few of your opuntia pads[emoji6]
It's a deal. I look forward to seeing you again!
How the heck can you kill a cactus?
It's nearly impossible.
 

Iochroma

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The tiny spine-like things in clusters are called glochids; very irritating. I burn them off with a torch held parallel to the flat pad.
 

Sisypha

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I once read about a subspecies of Opuntia that don't even have the itchy bits in the glochids – wrote the name down & promptly lost it. I'm really sensitive to those tiny things and would like to locate this type of cactus to propagate for my Leopard torts: they wouldn't touch nopales pads their first year, but now that they are strapping 2YO's they can't get enough, and buying by the pad off Amazon has gotten very expen$ive! Does anybody know the scientific name of this miniprickle AND spine-free variety? (It had same genus + species as regular Nopales, but with a 3rd (subspecies) name that was derived fr. a woman's name, like violanna or roseianna or something close to it. Would very much like to find this variant for my hungry torts without having to endure "glochid rash"!
 

Tolis

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I once read about a subspecies of Opuntia that don't even have the itchy bits in the glochids – wrote the name down & promptly lost it. I'm really sensitive to those tiny things and would like to locate this type of cactus to propagate for my Leopard torts: they wouldn't touch nopales pads their first year, but now that they are strapping 2YO's they can't get enough, and buying by the pad off Amazon has gotten very expen$ive! Does anybody know the scientific name of this miniprickle AND spine-free variety? (It had same genus + species as regular Nopales, but with a 3rd (subspecies) name that was derived fr. a woman's name, like violanna or roseianna or something close to it. Would very much like to find this variant for my hungry torts without having to endure "glochid rash"!
I am a couple of years late but just in case you are still searching I believe the name is Opuntia ficus-indica var. decumana.

I have been searching for it for 2 months with no luck. Prickly pears grow like weed were I live but this spineless variety I see the americans have is nowhere to be found on the other side of the globe. So frustrating!

This guy is selling it but he doesn't ship to EU.


If someone is willing to sell me some seeds please let me know!
 

NorCal tortoise guy

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I am a couple of years late but just in case you are still searching I believe the name is Opuntia ficus-indica var. decumana.

I have been searching for it for 2 months with no luck. Prickly pears grow like weed were I live but this spineless variety I see the americans have is nowhere to be found on the other side of the globe. So frustrating!

This guy is selling it but he doesn't ship to EU.


If someone is willing to sell me some seeds please let me know!
I have some that is completely spine free and smooth but is doesn’t seem to grow as well In my colder winter. Don’t know it’s name just got a few pads of it I’m Florida
 

Tolis

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Finally got my hands on some!
Unlimited free food feels good! :) If anyone in the EU is struggling to find I can send you a few pads.

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