Cactus · Sonoran native
Chain Fruit Cholla
Cylindropuntia fulgida · Cactaceae
Also called: Jumping Cholla, Hanging Chain Cholla, Boxing Glove Cholla
Chain Fruit Cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida) is a very low-water cactus native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun.
Chain Fruit Cholla at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun
- Mature size
- 6-12 ft H x 6-8 ft W (largest of the chollas, becoming tree-like)
- Growth rate
- Moderate (fast for a cholla)
- Bloom
- Pink to rose, often with lavender or white tints, Summer (June-August); flowers open in the afternoon
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 20-25 F; USDA zones 9a-11 (more frost-sensitive than buckhorn)
- Soil
- Well-drained sandy, gravelly, or loamy desert soils; tolerates valley flats and disturbed ground.
- Native range
- Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and Sonora/Sinaloa, Mexico
- Best used as
- Accent/specimen (with caution), Living barrier/security hedge, Native and wildlife landscapes
- Wildlife
- Persistent hanging fruit chains are a critical late-season and drought food source for desert bighorn, javelina, and other animals; dense spiny branches shelter cactus wrens and other nesting birds.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic but the most hazardous cholla to handle; barbed segments detach at the slightest contact and are very difficult and painful to remove. Keep away from pets, walkways, and play areas.
How to grow Chain Fruit Cholla in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
No supplemental water once established. Water new plantings sparingly and only in the warm season; keep dry in winter to avoid rot.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Not needed; avoid fertilizer.
Pruning & care
Remove dropped or hanging segments to control its aggressive spread and reduce hazard; prune dead or damaged branches at joints. Use tongs and heavy gloves -- segments detach ('jump') and lodge in skin readily.
Notes
Spines reproduce vegetatively from detached joints. Forms long branching chains of sterile fruit that persist for years. The terminal segments easily break off and cling, giving rise to the 'jumping cholla' name -- it does not actually leap. Use sparingly and place well away from foot traffic.
Sources: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Tohono Chul / Tucson Botanical Gardens plant guides; Saguaro National Park interpretive references