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Post by dvg on Jul 3, 2019 17:46:31 GMT
A 4" pot of Opuntia fragilis making some new pads.   dvg |
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Post by fredg on Jul 3, 2019 18:21:17 GMT
Evil plants Opuntia. Never get closer than 5 ft if you don't want spines in you. It's not the big ones that are the worst either, you can see those. It's the little ones, they're EVIL.
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Post by dvg on Jul 3, 2019 19:51:20 GMT
The spines actually do protect you from the glochids, those irritating detachable hairs that will have ya reaching for some duct tape or tuck tape to help remove them. But in fairness, Opuntia do have a sunnier side to offer:  dvg |
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Post by fredg on Jul 4, 2019 9:17:52 GMT
The flowers are just to lure you a little closer so the strike is more accurate. Evil, pure EVIL
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Post by dvg on Jul 4, 2019 15:40:41 GMT
A few years back, our neighbor's golden retriever, about a year old, came by to visit, tail wagging, and knocked 3 or 4 pots of Opuntia fragilis over. That sent detached cactus pads skittering across the sidewalk. The dog managed to not only step on them, but also rolled over them, after her first misstep. In all, she had 13 or 14 pads stuck to her body - she ran around in a circle for a second or two, and then collapsed to the ground yelping. I pulled them out of her one by one, with each one of them then sticking in and to my helping hand... ...and then to the other helper, when it tried to help pull the pads free. These are some of the pots of O. fragilis that she knocked over:  Back row, left and center pots, from Ferry Point Landing, near Donalda, Alberta (and about to flower, for the first time since i've had it). Back row right, is very local to us, growing on a coulee hill, not even five miles away, in Leduc County. Front and center: From Dunvegan, Alberta. Oh, and the long haired cats have enough sense to give these a respectably wide berth, as well. dvg |
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Post by dvg on Jul 14, 2019 17:41:16 GMT
Was visiting the site near Gibbons, Alberta yesterday and snapped a few pics of some Opuntia fragilis , in situ there.  Some of these cacti were blooming,  but the flowers are a bit late this year,  due to the cooler summer weather we've been having, though this clump is loaded with soon to open flower buds  Some wild lily flowers were in bloom as well.  dvg |
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Post by dvg on Aug 13, 2020 18:06:52 GMT
I started this one from seed well over a decade ago, and only had the good sense to put it outside, late last summer. It was outside in winter for some -20°c nights, before mercy was taken and it was then overwintered in the garage's windowsill. This summer it made its first pad outdoors, in full sun. While it looks formidable, the long spines are flexible, and though sharp, if one's skin isn't too thin, the spines will bend when pressed against. The long spines also act as a very effective barrier from the irritating glochids.  Opuntia polyacantha var. erinaceadvg |
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Post by fredg on Aug 13, 2020 22:55:44 GMT
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Post by dvg on Aug 28, 2020 19:55:51 GMT
Even if it isn't all that huggable...  it's still lovable.  dvg |
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Post by dvg on Sept 14, 2020 18:59:51 GMT
With the recent cooler nights here, this one has added more purpling to its pads.  And the O. polyacantha var. erinacea has made a fine set of spines outside this summer.  Dealing with the above spines is preferable to cozying up to this next little bundle of joy.  0. fragilis from the Dunvegan Valley on the mighty Peace River, Alberta. dvg |
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Post by fredg on Sept 14, 2020 21:47:06 GMT
This guy tried to look at an Opuntia from 3ft  |
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Post by dvg on Sept 14, 2020 22:21:56 GMT
Then he's lucky he didn't lean in to sniff the flowers...  dvg |
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Post by dvg on Jun 10, 2021 18:35:25 GMT
Another growing season underway...  dvg |
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Post by dvg on Jun 29, 2021 19:11:43 GMT
These hardy plants won't wilt away in this heat wave...  dvg |
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Post by corky on Jun 29, 2021 21:07:26 GMT
They look like they're loving the heatwave, how hot is it where you are? It's felt autumnal here
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not here it isn't