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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: Perennial
Habit: 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: Yellow
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AZ , CO , NM , NV , UT
Native 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: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Heat Tolerant: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This 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 Plants
FNA: Find Cylindropuntia whipplei in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cylindropuntia whipplei

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-06-07
Research By: TWC Staff

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