Tasajillo (Cylindropuntia leptocaulis)

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angele Feb 29, 2008

Tasajillo
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis

Pyrrhuloxia purloins the fruit of a plant I know as Desert Christmas Cactus; 2/28/2008 Sierra County New Mexico

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htop San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) Feb 29, 2008

This is a great photo.

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angele Feb 29, 2008

Thanks htop! This cactus is growing in my yard and was just covered in fruit this year. The bird is such a regular visitor to my yard (all day, everyday) that I've named him Pete. He is the only critter that I see eating these fruits which have glochids. Here is a cropped close-up. I wonder if he knows how to eat these without getting the thorns in his tongue.

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htop San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) Feb 29, 2008

angele, thanks for posting the closeup. Pete must be a very clever bird to be able to eat the fruit. I know how stickery they are. Tell Pete that I think that he is a very handsome fellow.

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2QandLearn Menifee, CA(Zone 9a) May 15, 2015

There's a way to soften the tips of glochids, which soften them so they will not penetrate skin . . . and maybe tongue & other mouth tissues, as well. Wet them. I sprayed part of my Opuntia rufida all over with a mist of water from my squirt bottle, then was working on the plant . . . accidently rubbed the back of my hand along part of the cacti. It initially felt the same as they do when the glochids are dry, BUT, I was able to wipe them away with just one try! So, I reason that the moisture in their mouths may be what protects birds & tortoises from glochid-covered cacti fruit & pads. (I understand that some people spray their skin, instead of the cacti, before working on or closely around them.)

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