Cylindropuntia is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing species commonly known as chollas, native to northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They are known for their barbed spines that tenaciously attach to skin, fur, and clothing.Stands of cholla are called cholla gardens. Individuals within these colonies often exhibit the same DNA, as they were formerly tubercles of an original plant.
Cylindropuntia was formerly treated as a subgenus of Opuntia, but have now been separated based on their cylindrical stems (Opuntia species have flattened stems) and the presence of papery epidermal sheaths on the spines (Opuntia has no sheaths).[1] A few species of mat- or clump-forming opuntioid cacti are currently placed in the genus Grusonia. Collectively, opuntias, chollas, and related plants are sometimes called opuntiads.[2]
The roughly 35 species of Cylindropuntia are native to the southwestern and south-central United States, Mexico, and the West Indies. The Flora of North America recognizes 22 species.[3] Some species have been introduced to South America (Chile, Ecuador, Peru) and South Africa.
, Plants of the World Online accepts the following species:[4]
| Scientific name | Common name | Picture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cylindropuntia abyssi (Hester) Backeb. | Peach Springs cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow | Buckhorn cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia alcahes (F.A.C. Weber) F.M. Knuth | Clavellina cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia anteojoensis (Pinkava) E.F. Anderson | |||
| Cylindropuntia arbuscula (Engelm.) F.M. Knuth | Arizona pencil cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Teddy-bear cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia californica (Torr. & A.Gray) F.M.Knuth | California cholla Snake cholla Cane cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia calmalliana (J.M.Coult.) F.M.Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia caribaea (Britton & Rose) F.M. Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia cedrosensis Rebman | |||
| Cylindropuntia cholla (F.A.C. Weber) F.M. Knuth | Chain-link cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia chuckwallensis M.A.Baker & Cloud-H. | |||
| Cylindropuntia ciribe (Engelm. ex J.M.Coult.) F.M.Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia davisii (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) F.M. Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (Engelm. & Bigelow) F.M.Knuth | Silver cholla Golden cholla Wiggins' cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia fosbergii (C.B. Wolf) Rebman, M.A. Baker & Pinkava | Hoffmann's teddybear cholla Pink teddy-bear cholla Mason Valley cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia fulgida Engelm. | Jumping cholla Hanging chain cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia ganderi (C.B. Wolf) Rebman & Pinkav | Gander cholla Gander's buckhorn cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia hystrix (Griseb.) Areces | |||
| Cylindropuntia imbricata Haw. (DC.) | Cane cholla Walking stick cholla Tree cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia kleiniae (DC.) F.M. Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia leptocaulis F.M.Knuth | Desert Christmas cholla Tasajillo | ||
| Cylindropuntia libertadensis Rebman | |||
| Cylindropuntia lindsayi (Rebman) Rebman | |||
| Cylindropuntia molesta (Brandegee) F.M.Knuth | Agujilla | ||
| Cylindropuntia multigeniculata (Clokey) Backeb. | |||
| Cylindropuntia munzii (C.B. Wolf) Backeb. | |||
| Cylindropuntia prolifera (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Coastal cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia ramosissima (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Branched pencil cholla Diamond cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia rosea (DC.) Backeb. | |||
| Cylindropuntia sanfelipensis (Rebman) Rebman | |||
| Cylindropuntia santamaria (E.M. Baxter) Rebman | |||
| Cylindropuntia spinosior (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Tasajo cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia tesajo (Engelm. ex J.M. Coult.) F.M. Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia thurberi (Engelm.) F.M. Knuth | |||
| Cylindropuntia tunicata (Lehm.) F.M.Knuth | Sheathed cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia versicolor (Engelm. ex J.M. Coult.) F.M. Knuth | Staghorn cholla | ||
| Cylindropuntia waltoniorum Rebman | |||
| Cylindropuntia whipplei (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) F.M.Knuth | Rat-tail cholla[5] | ||
| Cylindropuntia wolfii (L.D. Benson) J. Rebman – unplaced name | Wolf's cholla |
Some hybrids are also known:[4]
Dried, dead Cylindropuntia sections are called "cholla wood" and are popular in the pet trade. In aquariums they are immersed partly or entirely into the water for pets to swim through, and in terrariums and other terrestrial pet enclosures they are placed and propped up for climbing.