A CHOLLA IS A CHOLLA ?
John "Obie" Oberhausen: Text and Photos

Most people would say that "Cholla" is a nasty-branchy cactus, which grows like a weed all over New Mexico. It has dark purple flowers, or yellow flowers when folks mistake the cholla's fruits for flowers. This is actually the Tree cholla , which is the most common form of cholla in this area but is only one of the many types of the species.

Only a few varieties of the Cholla cactus grow naturally as far north and at the elevation of Santa Fe. They are the Tree cholla, Devil’s cholla, and the endangered Santa Fe cholla. But there are many others that can flourish in these same conditions. They differ in shape, size, and even bloom color and can make for a lovely variety in the garden. Many others can flourish in these same conditions, differing in shape, size, and even the color of their blooms and can make for a lovely variety in the garden.

Cactophiles love to wheel and deal, trade and travel to “upgrade” our collections. Let’s see, I got a Whipple cholla from the Four Corners, Christmas cholla from Socorro, Cane cholla from the Gila National Forest area, White-flowering cholla from my connection at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Red-flowering cholla from the Park Ranger in the Bosque del Apache, Silver and Gold chollas from Aqua Fria Nursery, and it was only a 300-mile round trip to get a few Davis cholla cuttings from just north of Roswell.
Davis cholla
Klein's cholla
Cane cholla

As with many other types of cacti, cholla is extremely easy to propagate. There is no need to dig up a whole plant; all you need is a cutting. Produce another by removing a ”joint” from the parent plant, letting it “heal over” and then planting it.

Another way to get cholla? People hate them and ask you to dig them up! In addition to rescuing all the cholla from two huge yards, a friend and I "saved" with permission over 350 cholla from a building site in Eldorado. We drove away with my pickup piled 15 feet high.

There are also different types of chollas available at local nurseries. The flower colors, spines, shape and sizes yield many variations to use in your planting.

So, the next time someone mentions cholla, smirk knowingly and ask “Just what kind of cholla are you talking about?"

John (Obie) Oberhausen is retired US Navy. He came to visit New Mexico about six years ago, fell in love with the place and never left. After seeing his first cactus blooms he started collecting and growing them and is a member of both New Mexico and Colorado cactus clubs. There are more than 70 varieties of cactus growing in his yard including 20 different types of the Cholla cactus. When not working cactus he does massage at Body spa.

Visit www.santafebotanicalgarden.org to learn more about how Santa Fe Botanical Garden
celebrates, cultivates and conserves the rich botanical heritage and biodiversity of the region.