SafePlants

Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa)

The Buckhorn Cholla, scientifically known as Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa, is a striking cactus species native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

• Scientific Name: Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
• Synonyms: Opuntia acanthocarpa Engelm. & Bigelow, Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) F.M. Knuth var. acanthocarpa
• Common Names: Buckhorn Cholla, Buck-horn Cholla, Major Cholla, Yellow-flowered Cane Cactus, Staghorn Cholla (sometimes used interchangeably, although it usually refers to Opuntia versicolor)
• Family: Cactaceae (Cactus family)
• The Buckhorn Cholla belongs to the genus Opuntia, which encompasses many spiny cacti, including prickly pears.

Distribution and Habitat

• The Buckhorn Cholla is native to the deserts of southern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and Arizona in the United States, as well as northern Mexico.
• It thrives in desert mesas and slopes, typically found at elevations between 500 and 3500 feet.

Morphological Characteristics

• The Buckhorn Cholla is an upright, branched, cylindrical-stemmed cactus.
• It has gray-green stems, also known as "joints," which are slender and cylindrical.
• The main trunk is short, and may even be absent.
• Individual stem segments (joints) are typically 6-12 inches long.
• The tubercles (raised areas on the stem where spines emerge) are elongate, measuring approximately 0.75-1 inch long and 0.25 inches wide.
• The flowers are approximately 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide.
• Flower color is variable, ranging from yellow to orange/red.

Traditional Uses

• Native Americans harvested the Buckhorn Cholla fruit for consumption, either eating it fresh or drying it for storage.
• Ashes from the stems were used medicinally.