Xerophyte

Description

Much more compact than most other chollas, whipple cholla (Cylindropuntia whipplei) is a low mat forming or upright succulent shrub, sparingly to much branched, without a well-developed trunk. In appearance, it is highly variable. The height and width of Cylindropuntia whippleiSN|16241]]SN|16241]] varies widely with growing conditions. In some locations of its range, CylindrSN'>8156' alt='16242'>Opuntia imbricata#SN#8157'>Cylindr[[Opuntia imbricataSN' style='border

Similar Species

Plants in the trade might be confused with silver cholla (CylindrSN'>16225' alt='16242'>Opuntia echinocarpa#SN#16223'>Cylindr[[Opuntia echinocarpaSN' style='border

Note

Whipplei honors Amiel Weeks Whipple, a 19th-century engineer and surveyor with the Mexican Boundary Survey.

This species has fruits fleshy at maturity; stem segments up to 15 cm long and 2.2 cm wide; up to 10 spines per creole. The yellow-green flowers contrast brilliantly with its white spines. In addition, Whipple cholla branches in whorls or nearly so.

Flowers

Up to 3 cm long and 2 cm in diameter, with greenish-yellow, pale yellow, or yellow tepals.

Blooming Season

The species flowers in late spring to early summer (May to July).

Spines

1-10 (mostly 3-8), more numerous in the basal areoles, white to reddish brown, sharp, straight and awl shaped or flattened, dimorphic. Distal spines 4-6, stout, spreading to form a cross, 2-4.5 cm long. Basal spines usually 4 and lateral, slender, flattened basally, bent backward, 5-8 mm long ans covered with thin, white to pale yellow persistent papery sheaths.

Stem

The stem segments are lender, green, 3-15 cm long and 5-22 mm thick. The tubercles are prominent, up to 10 mm long and 5 mm wide.

Fruits

Broadly cylindrical to nearly round, pulpy to fleshy at maturity, yellow to greenish yellow 18-35 mm long, 15-32 mm in diameter and spineless.

Areoles

Oval to triangular, filed with pale yellow to white wool, ageing grey, and with yellow, tan, or whitish glochids 1-3 mm long.