Yes, mostly, but no, wholely. There's one, which IIRC Luther Burbank had a hand in developing, that's spineless and (almost completely?) free of glochids, but TTBOMK it's not hardy for us folks.

There is another one with little or no glochids, Opuntia cochenillifera, but it is not hardy to your zone, it is quite common in Florida.

Christopher

Opuntia caccanapa var ellisiana but I think it is only hardy to z7. Luther Burbank used it in one of his mixes but it was here before his hijinx.

Cold-hardy spineless Opuntias exist in the realm of the jackalope.

Sorry to bump this old thread but, can someone clarify:
Plant Delights says their Opuntia caccanapa var ellisiana is free of spines AND glochids.
However, many internet sources say spineless Opuntias do have glochids. A lot of the cheaper sources of them say "Opuntia caccanapa var ellisiana" only is spineless, not that it has no glochids.

Are there actually 3 thing floating around: spined (normal Opuntia), free of spines but having glochids, and free of both spines and glochids...presumably the true Opuntia caccanapa var ellisiana?

To further add to the confusion, I found one webpage saying that under drought stress, the spineless ones will revert to producing spines!

There are variations. Mine never made spines or glochids during the Texas drought of 11.. I have the spineless/glochidless variety. Just rubbed my hands up and down them to test. I will rub my face in the cactus if you want me too. Does that count? Maybe their glochids are so small , one can't feel them. Don't know. I have some of the spineless and tiny glochid too. The are the #1 ubiquitous PP in the Austin-San Antonio area . You see them everywhere. They are water and cold tolerant (relatively) and grow quickly. Cold tolerant as in Z7(OKCity) not Jeff's inland Canadian clime, all things relative. These are not tender like O. ficus-indicus. AND, drum role, the equally ubiquitous coried bug does not like them. God I hate those suckers. That is what diluted Dawn soap is for. This is not knowledge gained through site reading , but personal observation.

Mara, posts like this exist for your Opuntia pic.

Mara , I shall forever envision you with a cell phone opuntia...you made my day...cheers!

Yes, now I'm really glad I asked!
Well for now I've decided any Opuntia would just be another plant to worry about in my very wet winters, so I've put it off for now. I'd also rather wait until another "official" nursery sells it besides Plants Delights, as I'm beginning to be a bit fed up with the issues I encounter in ordering from them.

I am not an official nursery, but if you do change your mind, I can send you plant pads that you can root for postage. They are everywhere in Austin and pretty darn water tolerant if in draining soil. I see them growing in Blackland clay, east of here..

What I mentioned in my original post holds true...those are two species with no spines nor glochids, but are not cold hardy.

Christopheer

Cold hardy is an egocentric term and is seen from where ever the person who is talking is living. They are cold hardy for me but not you.

I really like the prickly pear, but can't stand the glochids. Does your Opuntia Ellisiana also fruit?

I hope not ;)

Seems there is. O.f. indica. Whatever that is

Thanks, as far as I know O.F. Indica do have glochids

Hi Wantonamara,

Does your glochidless opuntia set edible fruit?

Thanks

They are not good fruiters.

OK, thank you

yes they exist !! I bite a peace of,, the taste is, like row beans. I like it. its nice eating ..sometimes

This is the second one .. never try to eat, only a bit of wool ..

Cokgroot what is the name of that first one you posted? I like how it is a very dark green!

top is made hybrid the Dark green one

cokgroot's first pic looks like a Consolea