Teddybear Cholla (Opuntia bigelovii)
Cactus Family

Found: Alluvial fans and lower slopes below 3,000’ in Mojave and Colorado deserts.

About: The spines of this many jointed plant catch clothing so easily that Teddy Bear Cholla (CHOY-uh) is also known as ‘jumping cholla’.

When wind or other disturbance breaks joints off, they fall to the ground, and propagate. Given the right conditions this results in pure stands of cholla, which resemble a miniature forest.

Flowers are a yellow-green.