Cylindropuntia kleiniae
| Light | Full sun; bright light year-round |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; let the mix dry out completely, keep dry in winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Cold-hardy for a cholla; tolerates light frost, roughly USDA zones 8–11 |
| Propagation | Stem cuttings (easy); seed |
| Toxicity | Not considered toxic, but the spines and glochids readily injure pets and people |
Cylindropuntia kleiniae is a slender-stemmed cholla of the Chihuahuan Desert and adjoining dry country, notable for its thin, pencil-like green joints, sparse spination and small purple-tinged flowers. Widely known as Klein's cholla, candle cholla or Klein's pencil cactus, it is one of the more delicate-looking members of the genus Cylindropuntia, forming an airy, twiggy shrub rather than the dense armoured thickets of its stouter relatives.
Description
Cylindropuntia kleiniae grows as a sparsely branched shrub, often reaching one to two metres tall, with a distinct woody trunk and thin, spreading branches. The cylindrical stem segments are narrow — typically only a centimetre or so thick — smooth-skinned and green, giving the plant its candle-like common name. Low, elongated tubercles run along the joints, and the areoles carry short white or yellowish glochids together with only a few slender spines; some plants are nearly spineless, while others bear one to a few thin spines per areole, usually sheathed in a papery covering as is typical for the genus.
Flowers appear in late spring and early summer, small and inconspicuous compared with many chollas, in shades of pink to purple or greenish-bronze tinged with purple. They are followed by fleshy, often persistent fruits that ripen from green to dull red and are usually spineless.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the Chihuahuan Desert region, ranging across western Texas and southern and eastern New Mexico in the United States, and southward into central and northern Mexico. It grows in desert grassland, thornscrub and rocky slopes, frequently scrambling up among shrubs and other vegetation, where its thin stems can be surprisingly hard to spot until brushed against.
Across such a broad range the plant is variable, and it has historically been divided into several varieties and confused with related slender chollas; growers should not be surprised to find plants labelled C. kleiniae that differ somewhat in stem thickness and spination.
Cultivation
Like most Cylindropuntia, Klein's cholla is undemanding given the two things it insists on: strong light and sharp drainage. Grow it in full sun in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, and water only when the medium has dried out completely, tapering off to keep the plant dry through winter. Excess moisture, especially in cool weather, is the main cause of rot and disfigurement.
It is more cold-tolerant than many desert cacti and will take light frost once established, making it suitable for unheated growing in mild-winter areas; in colder climates keep it dry and just above freezing. Handle with care — the glochids detach at the lightest touch and are miserable to remove from skin. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Propagation is easiest from stem segments. A detached joint left to callus for several days in a dry, shaded spot will root readily when set on gritty, barely-moist mix — the same approach used across the genus (see Propagation — cuttings and Propagation — offsets). Fallen joints often root where they land in habitat, an efficient means of vegetative spread. Seed is also viable but slower and less commonly used by hobbyists; see Propagation — seed.
Common problems
- Rot — from overwatering or a slow-draining mix, particularly in cool or humid conditions; affected joints soften, discolour and drop.
- Etiolation — too little light produces weak, overly thin, pale growth, exaggerating the plant's already slender habit.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and at joint bases) and scale are the usual offenders; see Pests and diseases.
- Glochids — not a plant problem so much as a grower's hazard; site the plant away from paths and handle with thick gloves.
See also
- Cylindropuntia — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — cuttings · Propagation — offsets · Pests and diseases