This multiple-branching cactus can take on a shrublike appearance with its Medusa-like branches. It grows to 4 feet high and 5 feet wide, with yellowish spines contrasting with its green branches. Its flowers are red or yellow, and they bloom in Spring. It is native to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. Its canopy coverage is up to 20 square feet.
The Buckhorn Cholla’s life span can be 30 years or more. It prefers to grow on well drained and sandy desert soils, gravel slopes in the deserts and grasslands. It can also be found growing in desert mesas, plains, hillsides, and rocky foothills.
Chollas are a favorite nesting site for many birds. They are not so spiny that the birds are in danger, but spiny enough to protect them from many predators.
Source: Lush & Efficient, and desertmuseum.org
