CANE CHOLLA (Opuntia spinosior)

The cane cholla grows at a range of elevations, from about 600 to more than 2000 metres, from lowland desert through desert grassland to the lower mountain slopes in the southern regions of Arizona and New Mexico. It can reach a height of 2-3 metres. It is a variable species, often hybridising with other chollas such as the buckhorn and tree cholla. The tuberculate stem bears short grey spines that quickly lose their sheaths, so the plant can have a velvety appearance from a distance. The flower colour is variable, but the fruits are always bright yellow.

The name "cane cholla" derives from the fact that the canes and other souvenirs are often made from the attractive woody skeleton of dead plants of this species.