Opuntia racimosissima (Pencil Cholla)

Photographs

My photos:

These three photos were taken in February at the Anza Borrego Visitor's Center.

The plant below is from Joshua Tree.

More photos:

click photo to enlarge

Plant Information

Cactaceae

In the garden:

Pencil Cholla - a strange-looking plant - is a freely branched, erect succulent to 5 feet in height. It is bushy, with grayish cylindrical branches containing a solid woody core. It is spiny to almost spineless, with solitary yellow spines. Flowers are yellow-green, tinged red, and occur in April and May. Once established, it will require little or no water.

In the wild:

It grows on dry washes, slopes, and mesas, below 4000 feet.

Ethnobotany:

No information found.

Field Trips
Anza Borrego Caspers Holy Jim Canyon Idyllwild
Joshua Tree Mt Palomar Rancho Santa Ana Torrey Pines

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