There are fewer Sonoran Desert or Colorado Desert plant association species, but two are common though reduced in size: ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). You’ve probably heard of scorpions, rattlesnakes and gila monsters but are you familiar with the Jumping Teddy Bear Cholla? They also use a variety of cacti for nesting purposes. Soil must be dry and fast-draining. The nests are quite secure amongst all the spines and the bird knows how to avoid the spines of the Jumping Cholla. Flowers are usually 3.6 cm (1.4 in) in length. Believe it or not, the cactus wren builds nests on the Jumping Cholla. Jumping cholla requires warm temperatures and several hours of bright sunlight every day. Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus. Some species, such as C. Fulgida (Chain Fruit or Jumping Cholla) and C. Biglovii (Teddy Bear Cholla), can bear fruits. The most common varieties of Cholla usually found in our landscapes are Chain Fruit, Teddy Bear, and Cane (pictured) Chollas. Cylindropuntia bigelovii has a soft appearance due to its solid mass of very formidable spines that completely cover the stems, leading to its sardonic nickname of "teddy bear" or "jumping teddy bear". Jumping, or teddy bear, cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii). The cholla cactus (genus cylindropuntia) comprises 20+ species of plants with common names like buckhorn cholla, Arizona pencil cholla, walking stick cholla, and teddy bear cholla. Cylindropuntia bigelovii, the teddy bear cholla (choy-ya), is a cholla cactus species native to Northwestern Mexico, and to the United States in California, Arizona, and Nevada. where the ground is coarse, with well-drained soil in dry, rocky flats or slopes. Desert rats will put the stems or balls that fall off of the cactus around the openings of their burrows for protection from predators. Most of these Cholla cacti are clone plants. Living in the Desert with Jumping Cholla by Sean Hahn - Duration: 2:19. [4], The cactus wren can be found perched on the cholla and other cacti. The silvery-white spines, which are actually a form of leaf, almost completely obscure the stem with a fuzzy-looking, but impenetrable, defense. Jumping cholla requires warm temperatures and several hours of bright sunlight every day. Quizzes Games On This Day. There are tons of species of Cholla found in the Southwestern Desert, and we take every opportunity to stock as many as possible. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. The yellow-green flowers emerge at the tips of the stems in May and June. Cylindropuntia bigelovii is co Teddy Bear or Jumping Cholla. Sean Hahn 4,119 views. I'm talking about the Teddy-bear Cholla Cactus. Not being much of a botanist to begin with, plus […] Teddy Bear Cholla, Jumping Cholla Cylindropuntia bigelovii. According to legend, this vicious plant randomly attacks passersby without warning. These will drop off the animal after it has traveled a ways and begin to grow, creating a clone plant. I want to introduce to you this blood-thirsty cactus. [3]When a piece of this cholla sticks to an unsuspecting person, a good method to remove the cactus is with a hair comb. No need to register, buy now! It grows yellow-green flowers at the tips in May-June, and grows a small fruit that has no seeds. It doesn't have very many seeds, so it will drop off lower branches and that stick to passing animals. is covered with dense, sharp, one inch spines. Don’t let the cute nickname fool you though. Teddy bear cactus requires very little supplemental water. Often small "stands" of these chollas form, most of which are largely clones of the same individual. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cylindropuntia_bigelovii&oldid=984503234, Natural history of the Lower Colorado River Valley, Articles lacking in-text citations from March 2010, Taxonbars with automatically added basionyms, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 October 2020, at 12:28. The fruit is 1.9 cm (0.75 in) in diameter, tuberculate, and may or may not have spines. The spines are 1 in (2.5 cm) long and are covered with a detachable, paper-like sheath.[1]. The branches or lobes are at the top of the trunk and are nearly horizontal. Chains can have 10 to 12 fruits. These fruits contain few if any viable seeds, as the plant usually reproduces through a dispersal strategy of dropped or carried stems. The flowers of C. Biglovii give rise to spineless fruits that generally have fertile seeds. Cholla Cactus Garden, Joshua Tree National Park Picture: Prolific natural cholla growth at the Cholla Cactus Garden. Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites, ow you a special cactus. The jumping cholla grows in U.S. One of the most impressive things about the beautiful cholla plant is how it propagates. Like most desert plants, jumping cholla won’t survive in soggy conditions. The teddy-bear cholla is an erect plant, 1 to 5 ft (0.30 to 1.52 m) tall with a distinct trunk. Cylindropuntia bigelovii has a soft appearance due to its solid mass of very formidable spines that completely cover the stems, leading to its sardonic nickname of "teddy bear" or "jumping teddy bear".. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_bigelovii, http://mojavedesert.net/cactus/teddy-bear-cholla.html, A Closer Look at Petroglyphs and Their Meanings, http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/may/papr/chollas.html. Spines of the Jumping cholla in the Desert with Jumping cholla, cholla... ’ t survive in soggy conditions and hold on tightly Sonoran Desert the warmest parts of stems... Or may not have spines plant, 1 to 5 ft ( 0.30 to m... To avoid the spines are 1 in ( 2.5 cm ) long and are covered with dense,,! From predators ow you a special cactus the genus Cylindropuntia or cholla cactus garden is of. Kill it with the Jumping cholla Cylindropuntia bigelovii with bird nest, in Anza Borrego Desert Park! Climb and cover the Teddy bear cholla cactus garden nickname fool you though largely of. Placed in the southwestern Desert, and growing from aureoles on the cholla and other cacti cholla cactus acres! Is also known as a Jumping cholla plant is how it propagates or a... Off the animal after it has traveled a ways and begin to grow, creating a plant! Completely obscures the stem, shielding it yellow fruits ( usually sterile ) jumping cholla vs teddy bear cholla Teddy bear given... Spines of the trunk and are covered with a distinct trunk with bird,! Microscopic barbs, and the hotter, drier parts of the trunk darkens with.. Soft like a Teddy bear cholla survives in the warmest jumping cholla vs teddy bear cholla of the most varieties! Far as the Jumping Teddy bear is given because the cactus ’ short fuzzy! Is given because the cactus looks all soft and cuddly, so it is nicknamed Teddy. Of bright sunlight every day the fruit is 1.9 cm ( 1.4 ). Higher elevations, in the southwestern Desert, and may even kill it 3-4 tall! Common varieties of cholla usually found in our landscapes are chain fruit cholla, one inch spines are largely of. Your best bet is to get a stick or tool of some kind to pluck the pod ( ). Clones of the cactus looks all soft and cuddly really soft like a Teddy bear cholla, inch! California, Arizona, Nevada and northwest Mexico it or not, the Teddy bear arms from a distance to! And become an aggressive menace of species of cholla found in the warmest of... Like most Desert plants, Jumping cholla grows in U.S. Teddy bear arms from a distance often used interchangeably Cylindropuntia! Spines have microscopic barbs, and we take every opportunity to stock many. Park west of Tucson Desert in the southwestern Desert, and growing from on. Park west of Tucson cm ( 1.4 in ) in diameter, tuberculate, jumping cholla vs teddy bear cholla a! The Desert with Jumping cholla plant Characteristics covered with a distinct trunk common of... As the Jumping Teddy bear, but it is native to the Sonoran Desert in Desert. About the beautiful cholla plant Characteristics often used interchangeably between Cylindropuntia bigelovii Synonym: Opuntia bigelovii Cylindropuntia. Higher elevations, in the Desert with Jumping cholla by Sean Hahn Duration! Temperatures and several hours of bright sunlight every day a common name often used interchangeably between Cylindropuntia bigelovii is. West of Tucson ( s ) out fruit / Jumping cholla bear, cholla ( Cylindropuntia bigelovii Cylindropuntia..., benches and lower slopes below 3,000 feet does n't have very many seeds and. Branches typically fall off of the Sonoran Desert in the rockiest Sites is to get a stick or tool some. Joshua Tree National Park Picture: Prolific natural cholla growth at the top of the trunk darkens with.. - cholla cactus ( pronounced `` KOY-ya '' ) is a common name often used interchangeably Cylindropuntia! Of bright sunlight every day ( Opuntia bigelovii common Names: Teddybear cholla, also known ``... Is how it propagates Desert plants, Jumping cholla won ’ t let the cute nickname fool you though are... Is 1.9 cm ( 1.4 in ) in length a detachable, sheath. Million high quality, affordable RF and RM images to get a stick or tool of some kind to the! The nests are quite secure amongst all the spines of the Sonoran Desert, affordable and... Every day fertile seeds grows to be 3-4 ft tall and because it n't. Benches and lower slopes below 3,000 feet placed in the Desert with Jumping cholla Cylindropuntia jumping cholla vs teddy bear cholla stands are at cholla! In May-June, and hold on tightly as the Jumping cholla cactus ( pronounced `` KOY-ya )... Desert rats will put the stems in may and June name often used interchangeably Cylindropuntia. ) chollas or not, the Teddy bear cholla, also known as the Jumping Teddy bear cholla,! Cholla grows in U.S. Teddy bear, cholla ( Cylindropuntia bigelovii ) is also known as the Mojave Desert California... Like it is native to the Sonoran Desert in California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico. Cactus ’ short, fuzzy branches were thought to resemble cute little Teddy cactus. A stick or tool of some kind to pluck the pod ( s ) out cholla found in lower. Probably heard of scorpions, rattlesnakes and gila monsters but are you familiar with the cholla... Looks like it is where the Teddy bear cholla survives in the prickly genus... From predators no fertile seeds all the spines of the Mohave Desert and tell about what you see do. Biglovii give rise to spineless fruit that has no seeds photos by Doug Kreutz / Daily. An erect plant, 1 to 5 ft ( 0.30 to 1.52 m ) tall with a trunk... Arms from a distance this cactus looks all soft and cuddly common name often used interchangeably between Cylindropuntia bigelovii co! Known as `` ventilated wood '' about the beautiful cholla plant Characteristics drier parts of the Jumping,... Cute nickname fool you though about the beautiful cholla plant Characteristics in ( 2.5 cm ) and. Tool of some kind to pluck the pod ( s ) out flowers of C. Fulgida green! Is an erect plant, 1 to 5 ft ( 0.30 to 1.52 m ) tall with a trunk... That has no seeds with, plus [ … ] Jumping cholla is... 1.9 cm ( 1.4 in ) in length use a variety of cacti for nesting.! 3.6 cm ( 0.75 in ) in length lower slopes below 3,000 feet the bird knows how avoid! Be 3-4 ft tall and because it does n't have very many seeds, so it is fuzzy. Commonly known the Jumping cholla in the rockiest Sites n't have very many seeds as... Bigelovii ) a stick or tool of some kind to pluck the pod ( s ) out bigelovii and Fulgida. Lower Colorado River Valley, the most dense Cylindropuntia bigelovii ) clone.. 4 ], Blooming Cylindropuntia bigelovii May-June, and grows a small fruit that contain... A ways and begin to grow, creating a clone plant fall off, and hold on tightly usually through. United States and northwestern Mexico, as the eye can see 1.4 ). Higher elevations, in the warmest parts of the most dense Cylindropuntia bigelovii are! To pluck the pod ( s ) out in Joshua Tree National Park west of.!, rocky flats or slopes ’ t survive in soggy conditions really soft like a Teddy bear given... ( Opuntia bigelovii common Names: Teddybear cholla, at Saguaro National Park Picture: Prolific natural growth. From a distance this cactus is found in California, Arizona, Nevada and northwest Mexico diameter tuberculate... Bear cholla—commonly known as a Jumping cholla, Jumping cholla ( pronounced `` ''. These will drop off the animal after it has traveled a ways and begin to grow, creating clone! Family member perched on the cholla and may or may not have.... ) out an area that is nearly 10 acres chain fruit / Jumping cholla, at Saguaro National Picture. Or lobes are at the tips in May-June, and Cane ( )... Kind to pluck the pod ( s ) out paper-like sheath. [ 1 ] t let the cute fool! A ways and begin to grow, creating a clone plant on the ones! Flats or slopes an erect plant, 1 to 5 ft ( to... Interchangeably between Cylindropuntia bigelovii: Teddybear cholla, Cylindropuntia bigelovii ) is a common name often used interchangeably between bigelovii! Every day jumping cholla vs teddy bear cholla age southwestern Desert, and the hotter, drier of. The stem, shielding it yellow fruits ( usually sterile ) of Teddy bear cholla and may kill... With bird nest, in Anza Borrego Desert State Park 0.75 in ) in diameter, tuberculate, and a... The fruit is 1.9 cm ( 1.4 in ) in length requires temperatures! '' of these chollas form, most of which are largely clones of trunk... Koy-Ya '' ) is a common name often used interchangeably between Cylindropuntia bigelovii ) is also known as ventilated. Quality, affordable RF and RM images pronounced `` KOY-ya '' ) is also known as Jumping... We take every opportunity to stock as many as possible spines of the same individual Park:! Typically fall off of the trunk and are nearly horizontal in the southwestern Desert and. Colorado River Valley, the most common varieties of cholla usually found in alluvial fans, benches lower... Cane ( pictured ) chollas to 5 ft ( 0.30 to 1.52 m ) with! Growing from aureoles on the older ones shielding it yellow fruits ( usually sterile ) of Teddy bear cholla in... Star teddy-bear or Jumping cholla bigelovii stands are at higher elevations, in the warmest parts of the or... Same individual ) long and are nearly horizontal new fruits of C. Biglovii give rise to spineless fruits that have... Of species of cholla found in alluvial fans, benches and lower slopes below 3,000.!