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Cylindropuntia ramosissima

Cultivation Key

� Full sun ��

� Medium water in spring/summer, light water in winter.

� Sandy/gritty soil

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Hardy to 40F / 4C if dry.

Can tolerate short periods of colder temps.

Avoid frost!

(General guidelines)

Notes: We grow this plant outdoors in a raised bed of native soil, DG, gravel and sand. We water about once a week to every 10 days during spring and summer. We let the rain take over during winter. The plant sees full sun all day without any protection.

Plant of the Month

August 2010

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Diamond Cholla, Diamond Pencil Cholla

Cylindropuntia ramosissima (Englemann) F.M. Knuth

Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Synonyms: Opuntia tesselata, Opuntia ramosissima

Form/Habitat: Form/Habitat: The habitat of Cylindropuntia ramosissima is North America, in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of south east California, western Arizona, southern Nevada, Baja California Norte and Sonora, Mexico. Growing in sandy/gravely soils in the low desert regions from 800 to 2000 feet elevation. It�s a small to medium shrubby plant. The shape of the tubercles and their pattern give it the common name of Diamond Cholla. Contrary to most Cholla�s, the stem segments are firmly attached.� Spines usually grow on just the upper parts of the stems and can get up to 2.5� long. Usually a single central spine with a sheath. Spines are sparse and randomly grouped. Usually growing from a main trunk stem that can get to 2.5� in diameter and very woody. Glochids are present, but not very numerous. Sometimes seen camouflaged by growing within other desert plants and often seen alongside Cylindropuntia leptocaulis.

Type locality: Near the Colorado River in California.

Size: Typically growing to around 2 to 4 feet tall with thin stems to � inch in diameter. The plant branches profusely to form a shrub to about 3 feet wide. Some forms stay low and spread wide, while others grow tall and stay somewhat slim.

Flowers/Fruit: The flowers of Cylindropuntia ramosissima are small, about 1 inch in diameter. They aren�t obvious, as the buds look like the stems. A sort of intermediate terminal stem flowering plant. They range in color from a yellow/brown to a pink/brown. The fruit dry hard to a brown/tan color and can be heavily spined, to the point of looking like a burr. Flowering time is late spring, early summer. The fruit aren�t very spiney at first, but over time, they seem to grow a multitude of tiny spines very much resembling glochids.

Sun/Water: Cylindropuntia ramosissima can take full sun to get the proper spination. It�s a true desert plant, in habitat these plants can be seen growing out in the open completely unprotected. In cultivation, watering can be regular during its growing season. It grows fast under good conditions, so plan for it to take up a fair amount of room quickly. In habitat, these plants hardly ever see any summer rains, except for some of the higher elevation populations. They tend to get most of their rain during the winter. However, in cultivation, spring and summer water is appreciated. Some of the most eastern populations in Arizona (Maricopa & Pima Counties) might see some of the summer monsoon rains.

Propagation: Seed and cuttings. Fairly easy to grow from seed, although somewhat slow and can be a challenge to germinate. Stem cuttings root down easily.

Books/Websites: Books/Websites: The Native Cacti of California; L. Benson. The Cacti of Arizona; L. Benson. The Cactus Family; E.F. Anderson.