Opuntia fulgida

Chain Cholla

The winter hardy cactus garden generally has few selections to add, that have some height. That's why this Cholla is prized because it can get up to be a few feet tall, and make a very nice vertical specimen in the landscape. Unlike many other Chollas that are completely covered with ferocious spines, this one exhibits a lot of rich, dark green stem that starts bearing brilliant carmen red flowers in spring and continues into much of summer. Sometimes, the "fruit" that forms at the base of old flowers buds again, forming a "chain" of continuing fruits (hence the name). Hardy to zero degrees.