Chain Fruit Cholla by danapommet

Photography • Flowers/Plants • posted on Jan 25, 2011

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Description

The Chain Fruit Cholla looks as much like a tree in the desert as a cactus possibly can. It has a central trunk from which sprout many spiny "branches". It is commonly found in dry, sandy soils, on valleys floors, plains of the Sonoran Desert, south Arizona and NW Mexico. It is found at elevations up to 4,000 feet above sea level. The chain fruit Cholla is a shrubby cactus. It has many segmented, irregular, drooping branches. These are covered with a dense layer of sharp spines. These spines have a straw-colored sheath when young which turns a dark gray as they mature. The sheath acts to reflect sunlight and prevent overheating. As the Cholla gets older the spines fall off and leave a rough and scaly bark on the trunk and old branches. It is the largest of the Cholla, and can grow to a height of 15 feet (4.6 meters) and be 6 feet (1.8 meters) across. The pear shaped fruit is about 1.5 inches (3.8cn) long and half as wide. Clusters of these fruits sometimes stay attached for many years. New flowers will bloom on them every year and the chains grow longer with every year, sometimes as long as 2 feet. That is why they are called chain fruit Cholla. The fruit is not always fertile and the Cholla relies mainly on fallen stem joints to take root and grow new plants. The mountains in the background are part of the Ajo Mountain Range. Info from the BluePlanetBiomes web site. Zoom to check out the fruit. Photo taken in the winter of 1996 and scanned. Thanks for stopping by, taking a look and for all your previous favs and comments. They are very much appreciated. Dana

Comments (24)

MrsLubner

10:18PM | Tue, 25 January 2011

Cholla is one of the most beautiful cacti in the desert I think, even when not in bloom but it's beauty is one of the most painful. I have seen them in bloom - with the chains of fruit and it is a spectacular sight. super shot.

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