Cylindropuntia fulgida

Read about Cylindropuntia fulgida in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Opuntia fulgida, Engelm. A numerously branched arborescent plant, often 10-12 ft. high, with erect trunk 8-14 in. diam., having a thick, grayish, scaly, unarmed bark: joints congested toward the ends of the larger branches, ovate to ovate-cylindrical, 2-8 in. long and often 2 in. thick, very fragile and tumid, easily becoming detached and taking root, bluish green, somewhat glaucous: areoles with white wool and bright straw-colored bristles spines on young growth 5-8 increasing yearly until ultimately 30-50, finally deciduous, with loose, glistening, white or straw-colored sheaths 1½ in. or less long: fls. ¾-1 in. wide, pink: fr. obovate to globose, light green, pendulous, in large, proliferous clusters, sometimes 50 in a single cluster. S. W. tl. S. and N. Mex.— The common "cholla" of the Ariz, plains, where it often becomes a fair-sized tree and notable for its formidable armor of barbed spines completely hiding the surface of the plant. Var. mamillata, Coult. Differs in having fewer, shorter spines. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.