CactGuy

Cylindropuntia whipplei

Cylindropuntia whipplei chunking up

The Cylindropuntia whipplei segments that I planted are growing new pads rather than elongating - although they should continue to get bigger, too.

Despite the fact that the last two years have shown me that chollas show spring growth later than prickly pears, it is always a relief to see the little tendrils of life emerging.  This is the Opuntia imbricata v. viridiflorus, or Santa Fe cholla, a very rare form of cholla that is only native to Santa Fe county, New Mexico.  I planted it last fall after a year and half growing in pots from a cutting purchased through Kelly Grummons at http://www.coldhardycactus.com.  Knowing a plant is cold hardy and a plant proving its hardiness are two very different things, so I am quite relieved to this and excited to see how much growth I get out of it this season!

The first cholla of the season to show new growth is also the smallest: Cylindropuntia leptocaulis, or Christmas cholla.  My goal is for this one to really put on significant growth over the summer so that I can plant it in the ground in the fall in the proposed extended bed to the left of my Opuntia engelmannii.  Which reminds me, I need to get on that project …

This branch is dying to be its own plant - in the course of a week it has grown nearly a dozen roots.

Pintura y marco bajacalifornianos

For some reason these branches decided to abandon ship from their mama, so they are now in the nursery with the toddlers .

I got a new necklace in the mail today that I ordered on Etsy from Smokey Taboo Handmade & Unique Jewelry. It is bone, seed, bead, and cholla. It’s bigger than any of the necklaces I’ve bought before, but so rad.

The Cylindropuntia leptocaulis is settled in and back to growing in its new pot. I can’t wait to look back on this one in about five years …