Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) F.M. Knuth Buckhorn cholla
Buckthorn cholla (pronounced "koy-ya") is a North American native. Identification: These plants may appear shrub-like, or take a shape more like a tree. They are 3-13′ (1-4 m) high. Stem segments, which can be green or purple, may be sparsely or densely branched. Each segment is 4-20″ (10-50 cm) long and ¾-1″ (2-3 cm) around. The areoles—little bumps with the spines—are elliptical to round, and have a fuzz that is light-colored at first and darkens with age. Spines are in groups of 6-20 or more, white to gray, tipped with yellow, about ⅝″ (1.6 cm) long. Flowers may be yellow, bronze, or brick red, and are ¾-1″ (2-3 cm) long. Fruits become tan, and are inconspicuous. Buckthorn cholla is similar to staghorn cholla: |
5/24/2009 · Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona 5/24/2009 · Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) |
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You are here Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa |
Cylindropuntia versicolor |
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Plant | 3-13′ (1-4 m) high, shrublike or treelike. | Tree- or shrublike, to 6½′ (2 m) tall. | |||||||||
Flowers | Colored red, brick red, orange, yellow, yellow-green, pink, or bronze; up to 2″ (5.7 cm) around. | Up to 3″ (7.6 cm) around. Yellowish green, yellow, bronze, red, rose, or magenta. | |||||||||
Stem | Segments green or purple, 4-20″ (10-50 cm) long and ¾-1″ (2-3 cm) around. Spines are in groups of 6-20 or more, white to gray, tipped with yellow, ⅝-1¼″ (1.6-3.2 cm) long. | Stem segments greenish purple to purple, 1½-7″ (4-18 cm) × ⅜-¾″ (1-2 cm) around. Tubercules (ropy bumps on stems) are 3 to 5 times longer than they are wide. 7-10 spines per group, ¼-⅝″ (6.3-15 mm) long, reddish. | |||||||||
Fruit | Tan, about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) around, deeply wrinkled, usually covered with long spines. | Fleshy, with few or no spines, ¾-1½″ (2-4 cm) × ⅜-¾″ (1-2 cm) around. | |||||||||
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Type | Wild | Wild |
Online References:
Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and the Plants of the Sonoran Desert
George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site
The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network
References:
Anderson, Edward F., The Cactus Family, Timber Press, 2001, p. 204
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
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Range: Zones 9-11: