Cane Cholla
Cylindropuntia spinosior
Nearly mature fruit of Cane Cholla, Cylindropuntia spinosior,
from Gila Co., Arizona, USA. This photograph is also hosted at Wikimedia where
you can find more resources about
chollas.
SUCCULENT: Spiny cactus with long, straight, thick joints with prominent tubercles. Large specimens up to three or more meters tall are not uncommon.
FLOWERS: Magenta/Pink. Sometimes yellow to greenish. The flower at right
was observed at Oak Flat in Pinal Co., Arizona on 4 June 2011.
SPINES: Roughly a dozen or so tan to gray spines at each areole. 1-2 cm.
long. Few if any large spines on the fruit.
LEAVES: Fleshy linear leaves appear on new growth in the spring, but are
quickly shed leaving green photosynthetic joints.
RANGE: Upland Sonoran Desert of Arizona pushing into chaparral and
grassland habitats. Hybridizes with other cholla species producing a lot of
integrading populations.
FRUIT: Prominent tubercles on fruit and joints. On maturity the fruits
become brown and dry.