Echinocereus knippelianus

Echinocereus knippelianus

Sedum tetractinum 'Coral Reef'

Sedum tetractinum 'Coral Reef'

Cylindropuntia leptocaulis

Pencil Cholla, Christmas Cholla, Tasajillo
Size
ex 9cm pots
Availability: In stock
£15.99
Quick Overview
  • Slender-stemmed cholla
  • Intricately-branched shrubby habit
  • Greenish-yellow flowers followed by bright red fruits
  • Perfectly drained mineral substrate in full sun
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Cylindropuntia leptocaulis, Pencil Cholla or Christmas Cholla is found in Texas, southern Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona and throughout Mexico as far south as Puebla, growing in desert and scrubby semi-desert. It is an extremely thin-stemmed cholla and the specific epithet leptocaulis means slender stem. The stems are significantly thinner than both Cylindropuntia kleiniae and Cylindropuntia arbuscula, the latter of which also shares the common name Pencil Cholla. It is easily distinguished however from the green-fruited Cylindropuntia arbuscula by its distinctive fruits which ripen red and persist throughout the winter giving rise to its other predominant common name of Christmas Cholla.

Cylindropuntia leptocaulis forms a medium-sized shrubby bush with many multi-stemmed branches usually growing from one, two or several primary stems that grow woody with age. The slender branches give Cylindropuntia leptocaulis a more open, lighter and more airy appearance than most chollas. There are two forms of Cylindropuntia leptocaulis: a long-spined form and a short-spined form. In the past, these have sometimes been treated as infraspecific varieties: Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. longispina and Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var brevispina. Taxonomists currently treat these as the one species without infraspecific varietal taxa.

The plant offered here is the long-spined form and very handsome it is too!


Additional Information

Order Caryophyllales
Family Cactaceae
Sub-Family Opuntioideae
Synonyms Cylindropuntia brittonii, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. badia, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. brevispina, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. glauca, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. longispina, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. robustior, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis var. vaginata, Cylindropuntia mortolensis, Grusonia leptocaulis, Opuntia brittonii, Opuntia fragilis var. frutescens, Opuntia frutescens, Opuntia frutescens var. brevispina, Opuntia frutescens var. longispina, Opuntia gracilis, Opuntia leptocaulis, Opuntia leptocaulis var. badia, Opuntia leptocaulis var. brevispina, Opuntia leptocaulis var. brittonii, Opuntia leptocaulis var. longispina, Opuntia leptocaulis var. robustior, Opuntia leptocaulis var. vaginata, Opuntia mortolensis, Opuntia ramulifera, Opuntia vaginata
Geographical Origin USA; Mexico
Cultivation Well-drained alkaline substrate. Water from spring through to autumn, dry from October through to March
Eventual Height 1.4m
Eventual Spread 1m
Hardiness Hardy in dry well-drained microclimates in favourable southerly UK locations. Dry in winter. A fleece at the ready is sensible in extreme sub-zero temperatures. Taking back-up cuttings in the summer is a wise precaution before overwintering outdoors
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
Pencil Cholla, Christmas Cholla, Tasajillo
Size
ex 9cm pots
Availability: In stock
£15.99
You could receive 20 Palm Points for writing a review for this product.
Add to My Wishlist Add to Compare Email to a Friend
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