The popular jumping cholla cactus (Cylindropuntia fulgida), also known as the hanging chain cholla, is native to the Sonoran desert and the Southwestern US. However, it’s not actually a jumping cactus.
It’s known as the jumping cactus because of the super loose joint attachments that “jump” to passersby as they brush slightly over the plant and get stung. If you get “jumped” by this cactus, first, remove as many as you can with tweezers. Then, wrap the wound in gauze and soak the gauze in white glue.
Give the glue some time to dry. Then, peel off the gauze. This method can help you remove almost all of the spines. In this article, we’ll talk about this cactus in detail, so let’s get into it.
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Why Do They Call It Jumping Cholla?
The cholla cactus became known as “jumping cholla” due to its ability to “jump” from a parent cactus or the ground to a passerby’s skin or clothing. However, don’t worry! The cactus doesn’t actually shoot needles or release spines that really jump.
The spines or needles easily and quickly come loose from the parent cactus and get into a person’s clothing and skin who happens to be near the plant. This is why people say it “jumps” or shoots spines.
The quick detachment of the joints is actually a survival technique. But here’s the real kicker. When they detach and then fall onto the ground, they take root.
So, if people or animals manage to remove them after they have fallen onto their skin or hair, the spines take root where they fall to the ground.
When passersby stop to admire the cactus, they can easily come in contact with the spines. They’re bouncy, too, which makes the “jumping” easier. However, despite their habit of “jumping” onto people, they’re some of the prettiest cacti in the desert.
The jumping cholla can grow as tall as 15 feet. They also develop long chains and lovely lavender and pink flowers. You can see the flowers of this cactus between late May and early June. Now, let’s learn more fun facts about this impressive plant.
Do Jumping Cholla Cactus Actually Jump?
Cholla cacti come in many variations. They also technically provide fruits, but unlike other cacti fruits, these aren’t edible. They don’t even mature over time. So, they will stay attached to the cactus until the next fruits and flowers start developing on top of the old ones.
As for the jumping part, this cactus has very loose joints that detach in self-defense against anything that comes too close to the plant. However, the cactus doesn’t actually jump. The joints fall off onto the skin and clothing. And if they fall onto the ground, they take root and form a new plant.
However, if they don’t take root, they eventually die. It’s very common to see a lot of dead joints as well as sprouted ones close to the mature jumping cholla cactus. This impressive cactus can grow up to 13 feet in height with hanging branches of chained fruits.
Don’t Mess With A Jumping Cholla Cactus!
The ability to jump (actually releasing joints and spines as a defense tactic), isn’t the only interesting thing about this cactus. The jumping cholla cactus can live for decades. And certain varieties of this cactus come with very appealing, star-shaped flowers in pink, orange, red, and yellow-green colors.
If you ever get “attacked” by this cactus, don’t worry because the spines aren’t toxic. However, they can cause painful irritations so please get the affected area checked out and treated properly. Have you ever had a close encounter with the jumping cholla cactus? If so, drop a comment below!
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