This post is in reply to Sandra's comment yesterday.
Jumping chollas are common in my neck of the
woods desert.
Any vista, any road side stop includes chollas. And we mostly just call them 'chollas'. We don't differentiate between/among the species.
Why don't we care the type of cholla we see? Let me see if this helps:
Jumping cholla are also known as the
hanging chain cholla. Other names for this cactus include
chain fruit cholla, cholla brincadora, teddy bear cholla, finger-leaf cholla, and velas de coyote.
Teddy bear chollas also jump and stick to your clothing.
Chollas are common in desert gardens, along hiking paths, on most any highway leading out of Phoenix.
A long-time resident just gets used to seeing them, gets used to being stuck by them, gets used to living (and walking) around them.
A cholla by any other name is always a cholla. It is food, it is protection, it is a home. It is a cholla.
So, Sandra... I'll hunt for a better photo of a teddy bear cholla. Even if it is a chain fruit cholla. And I encourage my blogging state-mates Chris, Cyndi, Kathy now of Texas, Diane, Christine... add to my meager knowledge!
Class dismissed? This was fun!
16 comments:
LOL!!! Chollas are nasty and beautiful things. Look at them from afar and stay away!!:) I have a couple Teddy Bear pics on one of my posts. They are cool when the sun hits them at an angle. Some birds nest in this thing. Just watch out and don't get too close....or they'll actually jump and get stuck to you, in you, or on you. That's how they propagate around our desert.....clever plant:)
Chris (Rohrebot) - stick a link to your photos on your post! Thank you!!!
-brenda
In the meantime, here is Chris' blog:
http://gardeningandthespanishway-rohrerbot.blogspot.com/
He has GREAT lessons - and photos - here!
this post is exactly why I love blogging. there are so many thing in this world we will never see, things that are common in the books we read, but we have no idea what they are. these are incredible, i love them, except for the part about jumping on my clothes, ha ha. can't wait for the teddy bear. we all have things that are so common to us we don't SEE them, tropical plants here and flowering trees, i follow blogs in several countries and find all kinds of things, and tend to forget the US is as big and many countries and has all these CHOLLAS. thanks a bunch for telling me about them. can't wait to read a western so i can SEE them in my story
Chollas give me nightmares. My yard is full of them.
"A long-time resident just gets used to seeing them, gets used to being stuck by them, gets used to living (and walking) around them."
"Resigned to," is a better choice of words for me. I may not be considered a long term resident, though.
Yesterday when Stumpy and I were playing ball she got a sticker in her tongue. She had a total melt down while I tried to remove it. getting one in her paw is even worse, if she can't get it out.
Sandra, the next to last photo - the white "links of catcus" is the teddy bear depiction. From a distant, it looks like a teddy bear. Imagination... is the key.
Oh Cyndi, I like your comment! And an ice cube for Stumpy. OUCH!!
Wait!!! Did I mention the stupid puppy who tried eating one this weekend while I was taking cuttings from a friend's yard. The dog had a cholla stuck up in his poor mouth. The owner had to sooth the little guy down.
Here's a link of a canyon area. On my video, the 1st pic you see is a little cholla cactus full of yellow needles.
http://gardeningandthespanishway-rohrerbot.blogspot.com/2011/02/sabino-creek.html
I think the other pic I was thinking of is coming up on another post next week.
True, true, true... so very true!
Yes,it was fun. I think what I was really thinking about as the "cute" ones are something like teddy bear prickly pear. But I found this pic on line of a pretty good depiction of the teddy bear cactus if anyone is interested in seeing it.
http://www.123rf.com/photo_735852_this-is-a-picture-of-a-teddy-bear-cactus-taken-in-the-arizona-desert-the-shape-is-the-reason-that-it.html
I know, it's a weird URL but just highlight it and copy it into your browser.
Great post thanks for the instruction. Now I know what a Cholla is LOL.
I don't believe a word of it.
Thank you, Chris, Kathy, everyone! Snapper II, glad to be of help.
And Banjomyn... need we sprinkle 'wishing dust' on you? sigh.
superbe imagini
I think they are nice looking plants, and I have always wanted to put them along the yard wall. As a bonus, if some burglar decides to jump the wall, they might get a surprise!
Now that we have dogs, I'd never do it. I've got those things stuck in leather hiking boots! Imagine trying to pull one out of a dog's mouth.
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