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Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Cactus Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)

General: Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa) is an upright, branched, cylindrical-stemmed cactus with long stem segments and yellow spines. This cholla is similar to Silver Cholla, but in Buckhorn Cholla, the mature stem segments generally are longer than 6 inches, while those of Silver Cholla are less than 4-inches long.

Buckhorn Cholla is a common component of vegetation communities on well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils on upper bajadas and moderate slopes into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone.

Around Las Vegas, Buckhorn Cholla is quite common and easy to see along the main highway (West Charleston Blvd.) and Scenic Loop Road at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

Family: Cactus (Cactaceae).

Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)

Other Names: Opuntia acanthocarpa.

Plant Form: Upright shrub, many open branches.

Height: Usually to about 5 feet; to 10 feet.

Trunk: Present as one or several robust stem segments (not a true trunk).

Stems: Divided into segments; cylindrical; about 1-inch diameter.

Stem Surface: tuberculated; tubercles about 3 times longer than wide.

Spines: Central: about 12 to 20; about 2-inches long, generally yellowish, sheath present.

Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)

Glochids: Absent.

Flowers: Blooms early summer. Inflorescence: solitary at tips of stems. Flowers: yellow with purplish veins and purplish tips; filaments red; anthers yellow; to about 3-inches across.

Fruit: dry, spiny; about 1/2-inch diameter.

Seeds: many; black.

Habitat: Dry, well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils on upper bajadas and moderate slopes in the lower mountains.

Distribution: Southern California, southern Nevada, and Arizona.

Elevation: To about 5,000 feet.

Comments:

Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla with deciduous cactus leaves
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla in bloom
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa) Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla terminal stems (note elongate tubercles [stem ridges])
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla terminal stem (note elongate tubercles [stem ridges])
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla terminal stem (note elongate tubercles; thirsty)
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla terminal stem (note elongate tubercles; well watered)
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla terminal stem (note elongate tubercles; thirsty)
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla terminal stem (note elongate tubercles; well watered)
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla in bloom
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla in bloom
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla in bloom
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stems with flowers
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower bud
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower buds
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower bud
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower bud opening
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower bud opening
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower bud opening
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower and bud
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower; note red stamens
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower; note red stamens
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower; note red stamens
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla flower
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Flower where the anthers (yellow pollen sacks) have fallen off
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with dried flower
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with dried flower
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla dried flower
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with dried flower
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with fresh fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with fresh fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with ripening fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla ripening fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with dried, ripe fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla dried fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with dried ripe fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with dried ripe fruit; some retain dried flower petals
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem with two dried ripe fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla stem and dried ripe fruit
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla drying fruit on the ground
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla drying fruit on the ground
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla with deciduous cactus leaves
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla with deciduous cactus leaves
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Deciduous cactus leaves
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Deciduous cactus leaves
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Buckhorn Cholla with deciduous cactus leaves
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Deciduous cactus leaves and flower buds
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Appears to have hybridized with Teddybear Cholla
Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)
Appears to have hybridized with Teddybear Cholla

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 240902

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