CoronaCactus Nursery LLC.

Cactus & Succulent growers.

 

HOME

Featured Plants

Plant List

Local Events

Community

Photo Gallery

Shop Online

 

Plant of the Month

June 2008

Teddy Bear Cholla

Cylindropuntia bigelovii

Cactaceae Family

 

Form: Tree like cactus, well defined trunk changing to a dark brown with age. Occasionally branching at the base. Multi branched with segments are very densely spined in a golden color and are easily detached. Large clusters of Cylindropuntia bigelovii are not uncommon, as the segments drop from the plant or get snagged on a curious desert critter, the segments root into the ground where they sit and grow into a new plant.

 

Size: Can get to 8ft tall. Average of 4ft. Does not spread out very wide, only about 2/3rd of its height.

 

Flowers/Fruit: Yellow with traces of green and red. Fruit is green, ovoid and has glochids. They bloom in the spring, March/April.

 

Sun/Water: Can take full sun and needs little to no water once established.

 

Propagation: Cuttings or fallen segments. Can be grown from seed with patience.

 

Notes: This cactus is notorious for its vicious spines that seem to reach out and grab you. Each of the thousands of spines on each segment contain microscopic barbs that really put the grab on whatever it sticks to. These densely spined segments, from afar, can seem just like a plush Teddy Bear ready for a cuddle. This is very much not the case! Removing these spines can be extremely painful, so take extra care when you�re around the Teddy Bears. C. bigelovii can be found in the Mojave, Colorado and Sonoran Deserts of CA, AZ and Mexico.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo from our garden plant.

 

 

 

 

Photos taken at Joshua Tree National Park; Palm Desert, Calif., USA

 

 

Cactus of the Month Archives

 

June 2008 � Cylindropuntia bigelovii

 

 

 

Copyright � 2008 Corona Cactus Nursery LLC.������������������ ����������������������������������������������Page Update:

All photos are property of Corona Cactus Nursery LLC.������������������������������������������������������������� 6-4-08