Cylindropuntia whipplei aka Whipple Cholla

Cylindropuntia whipplei is also called Whipple’s cholla. It is part of the cactus family. It comes from dry inland parts of the southwestern United States. Kew gives its range as northern Arizona into Colorado and New Mexico. LLIFLE also lists Utah and Nevada. It grows in high deserts, grasslands, scrub, and open woods.

This shrub stores water in its flesh. It can grow upright or form low mats. It has no clear main trunk, and its branching varies. LLIFLE gives low plants a height of about 1–1.6 feet [0.3–0.5 metres]. Some wild stands reach 4.3 feet [1.3 metres]. Plants can spread several metres, though their garden size is unclear. Thin green stems have short joints with raised bumps. Branches form rings or near-rings around the stems. Wool fills small pads called areoles and turns grey with age. These pads bear tiny glochids and longer, sharp spines. The spines range from white to reddish brown. Many garden forms have dense white spines in thin, papery sheaths.

Flowers open from May through July. Their tepals, or flower parts, are greenish yellow to pale yellow. Blooms reach about 0.1 feet [0.03 metres] long. Fleshy fruit follows, shaped like a ball or short cylinder. Ripe fruit is yellow or greenish yellow, with no spines. The small seeds are tan. Bumps on the yellow fruit help tell it from silver cholla.

Whipple’s cholla suits dry rock gardens, even at higher sites. It grows in summer and needs soil that drains well. Soil mixes with sand or gravel suit it. Let the soil dry between waterings. Plants need little or no added water once they take hold. Reports of hardiness differ. PFAF gives USDA zones 5–9; LLIFLE gives 7–10. LLIFLE reports that it can bear frost near 10°F. It warns that cold, damp soil can cause root rot. Frost may mark the stems. Stem pieces root with ease in loose soil that drains well.

Dense stems give small birds nest cover and shelter other wildlife. The plant can spread as a weed in overgrazed grassland. Eat flower buds and fruit only after careful cleaning and preparation. Glochids still pose a risk after cooking. Use tools, not bare hands. PFAF does not class it as generally toxic to people or pets. It notes past use of roots to treat diarrhea. This does not prove that the roots have medical value.