Buckhorn Cholla

cylindropuntia acanthocarpa

The Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa) is a prominent, shrubby cactus native to the arid desert regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Characterized by its highly branched, wood-like skeleton and cylindrical, jointed stems, this resilient plant stands as a classic symbol of the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts. It plays an important role in the desert ecosystem, providing nesting sites, protection, and nourishment for various desert-dwelling creatures.

Habitat: Found in dry, sandy, or gravelly soils of desert flats, rocky slopes, and bajadas within the Sonoran and Mojave deserts.

Appearance

Growing between 1 and 4 meters in height, the Buckhorn Cholla displays a sprawling, tree-like structure with a short woody trunk. Its stems are divided into cylindrical green to purplish segments, measuring 10 to 15 centimeters long, which are covered in pronounced tubercles. Each tubercle bears a cluster of 7 to 25 sharp, straw-colored to dark brown spines encased in papery, reflective sheaths. In spring, it produces beautiful, cup-shaped flowers that vary in color from yellow and copper to vibrant red, followed by dry, egg-shaped, exceptionally spiny seed pods.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderCaryophyllalesFamilyCactaceaeGenusCylindropuntia

Buckhorn Cholla

Interesting facts

Indigenous desert peoples, such as the O'odham, traditionally harvested the flower buds of the Buckhorn Cholla in spring, pit-roasting them as a major, calcium-rich food source.

The species name 'acanthocarpa' literally translates to 'thorny fruit' in Greek, referencing the plant's dry, extremely spiny seed pods.

While it looks like a menacing, spiny skeleton after dying, the inner woody trunk of dead chollas is hollow and perforated, often used in desert crafts, walking sticks, and terrariums.

Special abilities

Stems are highly specialized to store large volumes of water, swelling during wet periods and contracting during prolonged droughts to survive hyper-arid conditions.

Spines are covered in thin, papery sheaths that reflect intense desert sunlight, reducing heat absorption and protecting the plant from solar radiation.

Utilizes Crassulacean Acid Metabolism, opening its stomata exclusively at night to capture carbon dioxide, which prevents critical water loss during the scorching day.