Cylindropuntia versicolor
| Light | Full sun; bright, direct light year-round |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly in the growing season; keep dry and cool in winter |
| Soil | Very gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Hardy to light frost; roughly USDA zones 8b–11 |
| Propagation | Stem cuttings (very easy); also seed and detached joints |
| Toxicity | Not considered systemically toxic, but the barbed spines and glochids cause painful injury |
Cylindropuntia versicolor, the staghorn cholla, is a shrubby to small-tree-like cholla from the Sonoran Desert whose cylindrical, jointed stems branch upward like a stag's antlers. It is named for the remarkable variability of its flowers, which appear in a range of colours — from yellow and green through bronze, copper, red and purple — often varying from plant to plant within a single population.
Description
Cylindropuntia versicolor grows as an open, freely branching shrub or small tree, commonly reaching 1–3 metres tall with a short, woody trunk in older specimens. The green to purplish stems are cylindrical and divided into firm, elongated joints (segments) that branch repeatedly at narrow angles, producing the antler-like silhouette that gives the plant its common name.
The joints are covered in low, spirally arranged tubercles, each bearing an areole with a few slender spines loosely sheathed in papery, straw-coloured coverings, along with tufts of tiny barbed glochids. Flowers open in spring at the joint tips and are notably inconsistent in colour, which is the source of the epithet versicolor ("variously coloured"); the fleshy, often persistent fruits are green to purplish and may themselves proliferate into new joints or flowers.
Distribution and habitat
The staghorn cholla is native to the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and adjacent northwestern Mexico (notably Sonora). It grows on desert flats, gentle slopes, washes and in desert grassland, typically in gritty, well-drained mineral soils and full sun, mixed among other desert shrubs and cacti.
Like all members of the cactus family it is listed under CITES Appendix II, though it is a common and widespread plant across its range. As with any wild cactus, plants should be enjoyed in habitat and obtained in cultivation from nursery-propagated stock rather than collected.
Cultivation
Cylindropuntia versicolor is an undemanding plant for a hot, sunny position and among the easier chollas to grow. Give it the brightest light available and a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix; in containers, err heavily toward grit. Water regularly but with full dry-downs through the warm growing season, then keep it dry and cool over winter, when it tolerates light frost. In cold-winter climates it is best grown in a pot that can be moved under cover.
The main hazard in cultivation is the plant itself: the spines are barbed and the joints detach readily, so site it well away from paths and handle it with thick gloves and tongs. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Propagation is very easy from stem cuttings. A detached joint left to callus for several days to a couple of weeks and then set on gritty, barely moist substrate will usually root without fuss — a reflection of how readily fallen joints establish in the wild. Seed is also viable but slower and less commonly used by hobbyists. See Propagation — cuttings and Propagation — seed for full walkthroughs, and the Cylindropuntia genus page for more on cholla propagation.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual result of a heavy, water-retentive mix or watering during cold, dark spells; joints soften and discolour.
- Etiolation — too little light produces thin, weak, over-long joints instead of a firm, compact habit.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles) and scale are the most frequent; cochineal scale, with its white waxy coating, can also appear on desert opuntioids.
- Injury from glochids and spines — barbed glochids lodge in skin easily; keep the plant away from high-traffic areas.
See also
- Cylindropuntia — the cholla genus overview
- Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Pests and diseases