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Smooth Chain Fruit Cholla, Boxing Glove Cholla
Scientific Name: Cylindropuntia fulgida (Engelm.) F.M. Knuth
Synonym: Opuntia fulgida
Family: Cactaceae

Show Larger Picture Opuntia fulgida at the Desert Botanical Garden

Recommended Temperature Zone: USDA: 8b-11 Frost Tolerance: 15°F (-10°C) Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C) Origin: USA (Arizona), Mexico (Baja California, Sinaloa, Sonora), in desert plains, 1000 to 4000 feet elevation (300-1200 m) Growth Habits: Succulent shrub, 8 to 10 feet tall (2.5-3 m), 8 feet wide (2.4 m); pale green joints, 5 inches long (12 cm); yellow spines, 1 inch long (2.5 cm) Propagation: Cuttings

Blooming Habits:
Red-pink flowers followed by dry fruits. The fruits stay on the plant and the areoles on the fruits keep producing more flowers, in turn producing more fruits. The end result is chains of fruit that give this cactus its name and recognizable appearance.