Thistle Cholla
Cylindropuntia tunicata
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
iNaturalist: © adenova (iNaturalist #4382674)






Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Genus:
- Cylindropuntia
- Species:
- Cylindropuntia tunicata
- USDA Symbol:
- CYTU3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, greenish-yellow
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; detached segments readily root and establish post-disturbance.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions; vegetative propagation via detached stem segments is more common in nature.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI