This cactus is known to family and friends as the evil cactus. We've had it for years, and I wont go near it, because of its evilness. You only have to get close to it to find your hand covered in tiny little red spikes. We moved it out to the greenhouse and dad repotted it. I have spent two weeks pulling out its spines from my fingers and I didn't even touch it. I took this photo from outside the greenhouse behind the safe glass.
You can see all the loose tiny red spikes, they look like harmless fluff but are evil and irratate the skin. Somehow I'm actually quite fond of this cactus *shrugs* just don't ask me to go anywhere near it.
I wonder if it might be Opuntia rufida, the so-called "blind pear." The common name is as it is because the wind picks up in south Texas, and the glochids get into cows' eyes, and they are eventually blinded by the injuries.
They sell under the common name "Desert Gem" I guess sales wouldn't do so good if it carries warning label "Warning: Spines will cause blindness in Cows"
But... they are nice to have. The best way to deal with them is to moist before doing anything with it. When i repot or something I take some newspapers in my hands. the gloccids don't go through it. Harry
Harry - I only recently heard the thing about wetting them making it better. Newpapers... would never have thought of that, with it being so big now though I might have to create me a newpaper armour suit... but hopefully it wont need repotting again for ages yet.
Hope, not gloves, but newspapers or something like that.after using throw them immediatly away. the gloccids will go in the outside of the glove. When you put them out, you forget about it. after a while (or week) you pick up your gloves and then the goccids will get you after all. Harry
Here's the white spined form of O. microdasys.
There is also a yellow spined form. Their glochids have tiny barbs at the tips as do Opuntia spines in general. that's why they hang on like they do!
(Click me!)
CP
"To be held in the heart of a friend is to be a king!" ...Bruce Cockburn.
G'day from down under in Devonport, Taz, the HEART of Oz.
Harry - They went straight through my dads gloves heh, he's still pulling them out of his hands! Though he made a larger mistake, he repotted it in the greenhouse, so I've been picking them up of everything from in there.
Yep, looks like O. rufida to me and yes the gochlids are a force to reckon with. Misting them with water will help keep them under control when repotting or moving it.
As for handling opuntias the best tool I've found is a pair or two of tongs
Since I collect opuntiods I've become accustomed to sharp spines and gochlids.
The spines on this Opuntia will stick you, stab you and make you look like you've been in a cat fight
click it
