Glochids and spines on a species of Opuntia. The spines are the relatively large, radiating organs; the glochidsare the fine prickles in the centres of the bunches. WhatareGlochids? Cactus glochidsare not a feature with which to fool. Glochids in skin are irritating, difficult to remove, and stay in for a long time. Chollas have only glochids, while prickly pears can have glochids and large spines or only glochids. Formerly, species in both genera were classified as Opuntia... Glochids Can Go Windborne! It’s important to understand even if you are not handling a Cholla or Prickly Pear plant, you could be affected by glochids. Discover what glochidsare, which species have them, and tips for avoiding their sting now on Gardener’s Path. #glochids #cactusgardening #gardenerspath. First, you'll need to remove the glochids to handle the fruit safely. If you purchase the fruit from a store, these glochids should already be removed. However, the glochids of O. microdasys are generally pale. Also, unlike O. microdasys, O. rufida has reniform to circular cladodes. Moreover, O. microdasys is typically a shorter plant. Unlike glochids, spines stay attached more firmly and are harder to remove from the cactus. Glochidsare covered with tiny barbs. When they get into your skin, they are hard to see and remove. Use sterilized tweezers to pull out large, easy-to-see cactus needles. To remove large amounts of small spines (like glochids), apply duct tape to your skin and then peel it off. WhatareGlochids? Instead of sharp spines, Opuntia microdasys has tiny, hair-like bristles called glochids. These glochidsare usually white or yellow.
