Opuntia fragilis

[Hoy]

Even if they have no thorns they do have glochides (I presume)! I dislike glochides more than thorns.
Though I will look for seeds when I get the seed list.

[James R.]

Opuntia fragilis var. denudata doesn't have the same kind of glochides like many of the Opuntia do. They are more like reduced thorns not hairs (they are much easier to get out and you can see them easily) and it has a lot less of them unlike my other Opuntia that leave glochides in me all the time. I also dislike glochides. I think this year I will only have four seeds if I am lucky, I didn't hand pollinate them to make sure they where pollinated well.

[RickR]

Glochides are why I don't grow Opuntia spp.  I much rather have the big strong thorns that are easily removed from my person. 

Now this makes me think...  When I was perusing the O. fragilis in western Minnesota, I got some stuck to my boots a few times.  I removed them with my fingers, got stuck a few times, but only by the large thorns and never glochides.  Is it possible that that these don't have them?

Regarding pollination, I also find that to get a good crop of seed from my Coryphantha vivipara, I must hand pollinate.

[Weiser]

Rick
Don't kid yourself they are present. You were just lucky you didn't get past the big spines. As far as pads sticking to your boots goes, sounds like they were just doing what they were designed to do.

I find that cool spring weather requires me to take on the pollinating duties.  During warm spring weather I have plenty of helpers.

[Lori S.]

(NB. It' s glochid, not glochide, for those who may be wondering...)

[Hoy]

(NB. It' s glochid, not glochide, for those who may be wondering...)

Thanks, Lori, i for one, did wonder.
I was not quite sure. It is glochide in German, French and Spanish. In Norw. it is (almost) not used in singular, only in plural (glokider/glokidene).
When I visited the Galapagos Islands i had more than one close encounter with the unearthly vegetation with glochids.

Today I have even purchased an Opuntia fragilis!

[RickR]

This is funny, 'cause I wondered too about the spelling, but was too lazy/tired.  It was 1:30 am and a particularly long day for me.

And for those souls wondering how best to grab an opuntia pad with your fingers: it is from the bottom.  At least it is with O. fragilis.  Most places in Minnesota, it is easy to avoid stepping on cactus.  They generally don't cohabit with grasses or other plants when the other plants have the upper hand.  Usually, I find them growing with no other species at all.  Walk where you don't see cactus, and you are pretty safe.  However, Blue Devil Valley was an exception.

[cohan]

Another nice thread--good work, John!
In Alberta, O fragilis may grow exposed, but often grows among grasses, forbs and shrubs, as does its cousin and interbreeder, O polyacantha
here are some pics from 2008 that some of you will have seen in various places before..
https://picasaweb.google.com/cactuscactus/DrumhellerAlbertaJuly20083#

Trond, where in your shady acreage will you find a place for O fragilis?  There are some Scandinavian growers with the most extensive collections of fragilis (among many other things) that I know of.. can't remember right now if any of them are in Norway.. 
I've had plants of both native Opuntias in years past , also not flowering due to inadequate light in my wooded property -though I put them in sunny spots, just not sunny enough!; I'm planning some new cactus plantings and will be looking for some of the sunniest spots..

James, love the little fatty! I do plan to get a few of the different forms of fragilis-different skin colours, spination etc

[Hoy]

Trond, where in your shady acreage will you find a place for O fragilis?   There are some Scandinavian growers with the most extensive collections of fragilis (among many other things) that I know of.. can't remember right now if any of them are in Norway..  
I've had plants of both native Opuntias in years past , also not flowering due to inadequate light in my wooded property -though I put them in sunny spots, just not sunny enough!; I'm planning some new cactus plantings and will be looking for some of the sunniest spots..

Cohan, you have a point However I can try my shed roof I still have some empty spots there! (Picture from last spring, not today   ) . . .



. . . or at my summerhouse The first picture shows my neighbor's boat and dock, you can detect the chimney of my house among the pines.



Viola tricolor and Armeria maritima

[cohan]

Trond, where in your shady acreage will you find a place for O fragilis?   There are some Scandinavian growers with the most extensive collections of fragilis (among many other things) that I know of.. can't remember right now if any of them are in Norway..  
I've had plants of both native Opuntias in years past , also not flowering due to inadequate light in my wooded property -though I put them in sunny spots, just not sunny enough!; I'm planning some new cactus plantings and will be looking for some of the sunniest spots..

Cohan, you have a point However I can try my shed roof I still have some empty spots there! (Picture from last spring, not today   ) . . .
. . . or at my summerhouse The first picture shows my neighbor's boat and dock, you can detect the chimney of my house among the pines.

Viola tricolor and Armeria maritima

I'll have to wait for  a time my internet connection is behaving better to enlarge those photos
the first is a roof? with all that stone?
the location of your cabin looks great! I know I should be thankful for deep reasonably good soil, but I would love to have a property that had lots of exposed rock!

[Hoy]

I'll have to wait for  a time my internet connection is behaving better to enlarge those photos
the first is a roof? with all that stone?
the location of your cabin looks great! I know I should be thankful for deep reasonably good soil, but I would love to have a property that had lots of exposed rock!

Yes, here from another angle:

[Todd Boland]

Trond, your roof garden never ceases to amaze me...it would be a great way to deal with all the rain we get in my part of the world.

BTW, I am trying O. humilis outdoors this year...now under 4 feet of snow.  This will be a test for sure.  I have humilis and fragilis in my coldframes...humilis has flowered once but fragilis never has.

[cohan]

Okay, today I was able to enlarge those images--Tond--love the roof garden  and the rock plants at the cabin! Is this the property in the mountains, or a different spot? Looks like it might be similar to places where O fragilis grows on rocks on islands off the coast of British Columbia.

I tracked down one of those North Western European growers I had in mind-- this is Martin in Denmark, and he has a lot of experience with many many C+S in (somewhat) cold and wet conditions.. this is his public gallery, and if there is no contact option there, I can give you his email address privately:
http://public.fotki.com/northern-nursery/

[Hoy]

Okay, today I was able to enlarge those images--Tond--love the roof garden  and the rock plants at the cabin! Is this the property in the mountains, or a different spot? Looks like it might be similar to places where O fragilis grows on rocks on islands off the coast of British Columbia.

This is not in the mountains! it is one of the sunniest places in Norway at the south east coast where we have a cabin/summerhouse on an island 
http://www.google.no/images?q=krager%C3%B8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:nb-NO:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=no&tab=wi&biw=1600&bih=726
http://www.google.no/images?um=1&hl=no&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Anb-NO%3Aofficial&biw=1600&bih=726&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=jomfruland&aq=f&aqi=g3&aql=&oq=

I tracked down one of those North Western European growers I had in mind-- this is Martin in Denmark, and he has a lot of experience with many many C+S in (somewhat) cold and wet conditions.. this is his public gallery, and if there is no contact option there, I can give you his email address privately:
http://public.fotki.com/northern-nursery/

Yes please!

[cohan]

That's what I was wondering, Trond, since you have mentioned a mountain cabin, but this seemed more like coast!