Safety note: Long, sharp spines can cause serious puncture wounds; handle with extreme caution.
Tree Cholla is the tallest cholla cactus, sometimes reaching 15 feet, and is one of the most distinctive plants of the Chihuahuan Desert and southern Rocky Mountain foothills. It produces large, cup-shaped magenta flowers in May and June, followed by yellow fruits that persist on the plant for years. The branching, tree-like form provides protected nesting sites for cactus wrens and roadrunners. It spreads into degraded grasslands, sometimes indicating overgrazing, and forms dense stands on rocky hillsides.
Habitat
Rocky hillsides, desert grasslands, and juniper-mesquite scrub of the Chihuahuan Desert and southern Great Plains.
Diet
Flowers visited by bees and hummingbirds; persistent yellow fruits eaten by coyotes and deer; branching form shelters nesting birds.
How common
Common
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