I did a thread about these plants last summer, at that time I wasn't really sure how hardy this type of opuntia is.It seems to be as hardy as the humifusa. We had a very wet snowy cold winter that doesn't want to make way for Spring, we are supposed to get more snow next week. I had the 2 original plants in pots about 4 feet off the ground and some pads cut from these plants late summer rooting in the ground.everything looks good even the fruit is full of seeds. They are still in winter mode all shriveled up, but solid and firm. This is the most spine-less opuntia I have found to be able to withstand cold and wet at the same time, we had many days in the single digits and a week at a time temps not above freezing more than once.