Cylindropuntia bigelovii     
Teddy bear cholla    
Cactaceae Family     

Form: upright, trunk-forming segmented cactus
Seasonality: evergreen
Size: to 6ft, spread up to 2/3 height; slow growth
Leaves: very loosely adhered joints 2-4in long with plentiful sharp spines; gold or straw colored; from a distance the spines have the illusion of a soft or fuzzy appearance
Flowers: on joint terminals; greenish white, inconspicuous; bloom from February-May
Fruit: green wrinkled barrel-shaped, 2-4in long
Stems/Trunks: usually single trunked; trunk straight and dark; attractive gold color overall
Range/Origin: Sonoran deserts at elevations up to 3000ft, on mesas and dry rocky slopes
Hardiness: mid to low teens

spines on Cylindropuntia bigelovii and finger of reckless master gardener

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

• most attractive of the chollas
• keep away from foot traffic
• impenetrable barriers
• accent plant

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exposure: full sun, reflected head
• Water: none; native to areas with less than 4in of rainfall per year
• Soil: well drained, rocky
• Propagation: joints (usually involuntarily)
• Maintenance: none

Cylindropuntia bigelovii

 
NOTES:

one of many cholla cacti also known as 'jumping cactus'
notorious for very loose joint attachment, joints attach to hapless by-passers with the slightest brush

some specimens may have a more greenish (rather than golden) coloration