This plant is very good at being very low in spines and glochids. The young leaves are very easy to prepare, the mature leaves when handled for transplanting can be handled without gloves if one is careful. One will still find the odd spine though, so be always alert when working around cactus.

This photo of Vickie with an Opuntia Ficus-indica var. 'Santa Maria' shows the huge size these leaves can attain. Some of them can reach over two feet in length and weigh over five pounds each! We recommend a wide spacing for these plants. The fruit is sweet and juicy, with a light orange tint. These plants also are very good for fresh leaf eating due to their low incidence of spines and glochids. The pads should be eaten while young and tender, don't let them get big and try to eat them!
The fruit has some glochids, so I recommend using gloves to handle the fruit, but I am used enough to them that I often peel the fruit in the field bare handed for a quick bite when hungry and thirsty.