The larger fruit does have pulp with a more significant seed content than I'd prefer. They are approximately 50% seeds/pulp. The rind holds a significant portion of the flavor with melon, cactus, and a slightly cherry notes going on when the fruit is fully ripe. I rub them in a paper towel to remove 95% of the glochids then cut off the top, bottom, and areoles with a sharp knife. From there it's good for a few small, tasty bites. The skin adds to the flavor too.
This particular plant seems to have a lower glochid count on the fruit than some other specimens that I've encountered. The seeds of opuntia are really what ruins it for most people though. They're hard as rocks and take up around as much space as the pulp in these fruit.
They were outgrowing the giant metal pot they're in last year, so I can spare a few pads if you'd like some. I think it is a very good plant to breed for improved varieties with good cold hardiness and larger fruit. It's the main plant I want to cross with o. ficus indica.
The thornless ones (that still have glochids!) only produced what looks like immature fruit of humifusa. They turn red though. The patch has been sitting between two buildings just down from the washout from a salt lick and left in disrepair for decades, which might be affecting the fruit quality and overall health...
I think I'll see different results from the pads I potted up as they are already looking better.
*Edited: Took me way too long to find the first plant's flower pics. Based on the hue, I think it may actually may be an opuntia cespitosa or cespitosa x humifusa. As I understand it, o cespitosa is a semi-rare type of opuntia humifusa native to Ohio that was once and may still be classified separately. I personally suspect cespitosa could be a surviving native people's cultivar from long ago that went feral.
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