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Cylindropuntia whipplei
Cylindropuntia whipplei (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) F.M. Knuth
Whipple Cholla, Whipple's Cholla
Cactaceae (Cactus Family)
Synonym(s): Opuntia whipplei
USDA Symbol: CYWH
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Low-growing shrub; occasionally mat-forming.
The Whipple Cholla is a low cactus that forms dense, spiny thickets, making it a pest to domestic livestock grazing on rangelands. In spring this rather ragged-looking cactus is briefly showy, as its bright yellow to green flowers are displayed. The Whipple Cholla is a hardy cold-desert dweller that grows at elevations of 3,500-8,000 feet.
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Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Cactus/Succulent
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Up to about 5 feet tall, sometimes mat-like and up to about 1 foot tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul
Distribution
USA: AZ , CO , NM , NV , UTNative Distribution: Southern tip of Nevada, southeastern and southwestern Utah, southwestern Colordao, northern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico. Great Basin and Mojave Deserts.
Native Habitat: Hillsides, flats, and plains in desert grasslands and pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Heat Tolerant: yes
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Cylindropuntia whipplei in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Cylindropuntia whipplei in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cylindropuntia whipplei
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-06-07Research By: TWC Staff