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Cylindropuntia imbricata
Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F.M. Knuth
Tree Cholla, Walking Stick Cholla, Cholla
Cactaceae (Cactus Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: CYIM2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Cylindropuntia imbricata, Tree Cholla, is found in a wide range of environments, from the hot deserts of west Texas to the Colorado mountains above 6,000 feet. It has stout, quite thick branches, bearing fairly short white or light brown spines, 10 to 30 per areole (occasionally fewer), that allow the green stem color (purplish in times of cold weather) to be clearly visible, and the plant reaches heights of 8 feet, with most stems quite high above the ground, supported by a strong central trunk.
The attractive violet flowers are followed by knobbly orange fruits that stay attached to the plant for many months. Spines grow from elongated tubercles, which help differentiate the plant from similar species in its range, principally the cane cholla.
Description provided courtesy of The American Southwest.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Cactus/Succulent
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Usually up to about 8 feet tall. Sometimes up to about 15 feet tall.
Flower: Pink, violet.
Fruit: Orange fruits stay attached to the plant for many months.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Red , Pink , PurpleBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AZ , CO , KS , NM , OK , TXNative Distribution: South Colorado, all across New Mexico, west Texas, far southeast Arizona, west Oklahoma, west Kansas.
Native Habitat: Varied; grassland, scrubland, woodland, hillsides.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Bibliography
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. WasowskiBibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
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Additional resources
USDA: Find Cylindropuntia imbricata in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Cylindropuntia imbricata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cylindropuntia imbricata
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-03-14Research By: