Houseplant · Cactaceae
Cholla Cactus
Cylindropuntia fulgida
Give it full sun and sharp drainage, then just keep your distance from those grabby, barbed joints.
Full sun
USDA 8–11
3–13 ft · 1–4 m
Overview
Cholla is a desert cactus made for heat and drought, with cylindrical, segmented joints that pile up into a small spiny tree. It grows wild all over the arid Southwest and shrugs off a big temperature swing, anywhere from 23°F to 104°F (-5°C to 40°C). Left alone, it slowly works its way up to 3 to 13 feet (1 to 4 m) tall.
So what makes this one stand out? It's how loosely the joints hang on. A light brush is all it takes to free a barbed segment, and off it goes on your skin, fur, or a pant leg, which is exactly how it picked up the name jumping cholla. And those same loose joints are how the plant spreads, dropping to the ground and rooting wherever they land.
Grow it right and cholla asks for almost nothing once it's settled in. Give it sun, sandy ground, and very little water, and it'll get through conditions that would finish off most plants. The real job here is respecting the spines and putting it somewhere nobody walks too close.
Care
The short version: full sun, a gritty fast-draining mix, and water only once the soil's gone completely dry. It puts up with a huge range of temperatures and doesn't ask for much beyond sharp drainage and a wide berth.
Light
Cholla wants full sun, and lots of it, just like it gets out in the open desert. It'll put up with a bit of partial sun, but give it any less than that and it goes weak and a whole lot more likely to rot.
Water
Water sparingly, and only once the soil has dried out completely. This plant's built for drought and rots fast when the roots stay wet, especially in cool or dim spots, so it's always better to lean dry.
Soil
Pot it up in a gritty, sharply drained sandy or cactus mix that never holds onto water. Any pH from 6.0 to 8.0 works fine, which covers most desert ground anyway.
Temperature
Cholla takes an impressive range, roughly 23°F to 104°F (-5°C to 40°C). That toughness is why it does so well outdoors in USDA zones 8 through 11 where plenty of cacti just couldn't.
Humidity
Low humidity is exactly what this plant's after, so dry desert air suits it perfectly. Damp, still air just invites rot, so there's no number to chase here. Keep things on the dry side and you're set.
Feeding
Feed it lightly through the spring and summer growth with a dilute low-nitrogen cactus fertilizer, just once a season. Anything richer pushes out soft growth the plant doesn't want and doesn't need.
Pruning
Cholla barely needs cutting back, really just pulling off dead or damaged joints. Always grab the long tongs or thick gloves first, because the barbed joints come loose at the lightest touch and embed in skin.
Repotting
Only repot every 2 to 4 years, or whenever the plant clearly outgrows its container or goes top-heavy. Roots poking out the drainage holes or soil that dries out unusually fast are your cue it's time.
Size & spacing
A grown cholla hits 3 to 13 feet (1 to 4 m) tall and spreads 3 to 7 feet (100 to 200 cm) wide. Give it plenty of room so nobody brushes those barbed joints just walking by.
Troubleshooting
Cholla hardly ever gives you grief, and when it does, the joints are where you'll see it. Soft dark segments and shriveled ones mean opposite things, so take a good look before you reach for the watering can. And whatever you do, handle the plant with tongs while you sort it out.
Joints going soft and dark down where they meet the base
What you're looking at is root and stem rot, and it usually comes down to too much water hanging around in soil that just won't drain. You'll often catch a foul smell at the base, and the joints go limp instead of firm. So stop watering right away, take the tongs and cut the rotted joints back well into healthy green tissue, then let those cuts dry over and move the plant into a dry gritty mix.
Fix:
- Stop watering immediately
- Cut away rotted joints with tongs well into healthy tissue
- Allow cuts to callus and repot into dry gritty mix
Joints turning thin, puckered, and wrinkly
Wrinkled joints are telling you one of two things: either prolonged drought, or roots that have died back and can't pull up water anymore. Usually the soil has sat bone dry for a good long while. So ease back into a deep but infrequent soak through the growing season, and while you're at it, check that the roots are still firm and doing their job.
Fix:
- Resume a deep but infrequent watering schedule
- Check roots are intact and functional
Toxicity
Nothing in this cactus is going to poison a person or an animal, so there's no toxin on your worry list. The hazard is purely physical. Those barbed, detachable joints snag and embed in skin, mouths, and fur at the lightest touch, and they hurt and fight you on the way out, so the smart move is to keep people and pets well clear and only handle the plant with tongs.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Nothing in this plant is going to poison a cat. The trouble is the barbed joints, which snag in paws and faces and can get stuck in the mouth or tongue if a curious cat decides to bat at the spines.
Dogs None
A dog that sniffs around or chews on this won't be poisoned, but those detachable spined segments grab on tight and dig into the muzzle, lips, and paw pads, where they really hurt and take careful work to get out.
Horses None
There's no toxin here for horses to worry about. Still, a grazing horse can drive the barbs deep into its lips and gums, so keep the plant out of reach of anywhere a horse can get to.
Rabbits None
Rabbits aren't at any risk of poisoning, but the spines are rough on small soft mouths and feet, and a pile of fallen joints can trap a rabbit mid-hop.
Livestock None
Cattle, goats, and sheep won't be poisoned either, but the chain-fruit segments stick to legs and faces, and spines lodged around the mouth can keep an animal from feeding.
Birds None
No part of this cactus poisons birds. In fact, some desert birds will nest among the spiny joints for protection, so the only thing to watch for is how sharp the barbs are.
People None
Nothing about this plant is poisonous to people. The barbed joints are the whole issue: they come loose at the lightest brush and lodge painfully in skin, and they're slow and stubborn to pull back out, so only handle the plant with long tongs.
The real danger is physical: detachable, barbed spine joints (the 'jumping cholla') cling to and embed in skin at the slightest brush, are very painful, and are difficult and hazardous to remove. Keep well away from people and pet traffic and handle only with tongs.
Varieties
Cholla is just one of many in its genus, and a couple of close relatives show up often enough that they're worth knowing by name.
Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata
This one wears smoother joints with far fewer spines than the heavily armed version most people have in mind.
Cylindropuntia bigelovii (teddy bear cholla)
A close cousin packed in dense golden spines, and its joints let go even more easily than those of the chain-fruit cholla.
How to propagate
Cholla pretty much propagates itself, since its loose joints root wherever they fall. You can do that on purpose, or start from seed if you've got the patience for it.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Spring to summer during active growth · 4 to 8 weeks to root
Rooting a detached joint is by far the easiest way to get more, and it goes best in spring or summer while the plant's actively growing. Just set the joint aside until the cut end dries over into a callus, stand it up in gritty mix, and it'll put down roots in 4 to 8 weeks. Move it only with tongs, since the barbs grab skin the second you touch them.
SeedModerate
Spring in warm conditions · Several months to a year for seedlings to establish
Seed is the slower, less reliable path. Sow in spring and keep the warmth steady to get them going, and then just be patient, because the seedlings need several months to a year to grow into sturdy young plants.
Myths
Cholla jumps and throws its spines at you.
It doesn't jump, and it doesn't fire anything at you. The thing is, the barbed joints sit so loosely that the lightest brush, or even a little static spark, is enough to pull one free and onto whatever touched it. The cactus itself never budges, so you walk off with a segment before you even feel it, and that's how the jumping name stuck.