Staghorn Cholla

Cylindropuntia thurberi subsp. versicolor

Native to:
Mexico, United States

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Cactaceae
Genus:
Cylindropuntia
Species:
Cylindropuntia thurberi subsp. versicolor
USDA Symbol:
CYVE3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub
Height:
300 cm
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
red, orange, yellow, purple, brown

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Can resprout from base after fire damage; typically recovers vegetatively.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Germination Time:
14–60 days
Notes:
Seeds germinate readily with warmth; vegetative propagation from stem segments is more common and reliable.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI