Jumping Cholla… (pronounced choya) prickly, poisonous, pains in the ass…or a pain anywhere you might come in contact with it! But, somehow, this time of year, you might say they are pretty? Late bloomers in the desert, they produce delicate, bright pink blossoms in the intense heat of June.
The flowers turn into fruits that form chains, thus, this fierce foliage is also known as ‘Chain-fruit’ cholla. The fruit is edible and was harvested, at one time, by the native tribes who inhabited this area.
The flowers don’t seem like much from a distance, but up close, they are quite beautiful!
Like brilliant little bursts of fuchsia fireworks against a barbed background.
The cholla are intriguing plants that we have an eternal love/hate relationship with. Often, we find baby animals or birds, impaled on it’s deadly branches. There are actually stories of people dying when they have been alone in the desert, impaled, and unable to get off of one. The abundant spines are actually hooked barbs that hold on to anything that carelessly comes close! Even when you’re attached/attacked by a small piece, you have to cut the spines off with scissors, before you pull them out…I guess this releases some pressure and makes them easier to detach. But the affected area will swell and be very painful for a while!
So pics like this, always amaze us!…
The cholla are popular nesting nooks for the local birds- Thrashers and doves especially! I guess they serve some useful purpose…plus you could eat them…and they can be pretty. So the lesson here?…
Don’t let cholla paranoia destroy ya!
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