Cylindropuntia echinocarpa aka Wiggins's Cholla

Cylindropuntia echinocarpa has two names: silver cholla and golden cholla. This cactus grows in the southwestern United States. It grows in northwestern Mexico too. Its range runs from southeastern California to southeastern Utah. It also reaches Baja California and Sonora. It lives on desert flats and rocky slopes. It grows in open scrubland and dry washes too. Other sites include grasslands, dunes, and open woodland.

Plants range from low bushes to shrubs shaped like trees. They stand about 1.6–6.6 feet [0.5–2 metres] tall. Some form a clear trunk below their spreading branches. This trunk can make up half the plant's height. The round stem joints are green or pale grey-green. Their skin has raised, fleshy bumps called tubercles. Dense spines hide much of each stem. The spines can be white, yellow, tan, or reddish brown. Tiny yellow spines called glochids grow among the larger ones. Most joints stay firm, but some branch tips break off.

Flowers open from March to June. Their tepals, or flower parts, range from pale green to yellow-green. Some have orange tones too. Outer flower parts may have pink or brown-red shades. The tan fruits have dense spines and dry as they ripen. Some are round; others have a shallow, dish-like shape. Each holds a few large, pale seeds. Few fruits reach full ripeness. Many fall while still young. This makes fruit crops a poor base for food gathering.

This plant suits dry gardens and work to restore deserts. Wild plants grow in sand, loam, gravel, and alluvial soils. These last soils form from earth that flowing water leaves. Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 7–10. Once plants take root, they need little care in suitable desert conditions. In colder places, they take time to grow bushy. Silver and gold spines give gardens a strong colour contrast. Birds nest in the branches, and small mammals find shelter. Insects visit for nectar in season. Fallen stem joints shelter reptiles and rodents too. Joints that break off can root after seasonal rain.

The stems, flower buds, and fruits have food uses. They need proper preparation first. Yields vary, so this is not a dependable food crop. Spines and glochids pose a serious risk of injury. Cooking does not make any glochids left behind safe. Use gloves and tools to gather plant parts. Then remove all spines. Place plants where their spines will not harm passers-by. Plants For A Future records no known medicinal uses.