I would think they are Eastern Prickly Pear Opuntia humifusa. Tony

arnt there a few different types though?

Opuntia macrohiza is also in Kentucky , ohio and tennessee besides the plain States and west..

Below is a good site for IDing of Prickly Pears.

Good luck. IDing prickly pear is difficult.

Here is a link that might be useful: Opuntia web

I find the pads of humifusa is more round and macrohiza is shaped more like a teardrop.. Yours look like my humifusa, from what I can see. I have several opuntia that looks a lot alike.

During the winter , did they lay flat on the ground and wrinkle up like crazy. That is a sign of O humifusa.

there very wrinkled..some still wrinkled. thanks for the help everyone. the pads I have that broke off..just let them scab over and pop them half way into soil and they should root?. I think a lady down the road has some of the ones that lay flat I might try to get some pads from her later in the year.

Mike, you can do that and spritz them every few days as they're in the pots - warmth and bottom heat will stimulate them to root more quickly (they should do so easily). Alternatively, you can let them lay on the ground and let Nature take its course - they'll root that way, too, just more slowly.

No need for spritzing. these things are tough.

Mara,

Yes, that's true, there's no unconditional need, but giving them light water on the epidermis of the plant stimulates their rooting juices.

I always thought that denying them made them go out begging of the environment. See what kind of mother I am.

I drove past my neighbors and hers are not the same as mine..when I get the nerve to knock on her door and ask for a few pads I will post pics...now I have to find enough pots to put all those pads in to root.

Mike, you don't need deep pots - in fact, shallow ones, with the pads propped up with rocks or something else, would be better.

And never a fair Opuntia was won by a faint heart - you gotta ask. Offer her a trade.

I finally got the nerve to go knock on the persons door with the other opuntia..turns out it was a man not a woman growing them and I could really see myself 30 years down the road..he told me to bring back a bucket and take what I wanted..some had fruit on them other many many buds. he says they flower yellow..any idea what type this one is.. i have the broken pads laying out to dry and scab over the others were potted as soon as I got home.

bucket O' cacti

I don't know. Can't help you.

The bucket full look more like my humifusa than the ones you show with the longer spines. Mine have definite glochids...but no long spines.

Tom

That is what I was thinking also. Mine are also more elongated than the ones that were rounder.

personally I have no idea both were outside all winter and did well so there very cold hardy but a proper ID would be nice.. even if I dont get one Oh well glad to have them.