Cylindropuntia californica var. californica

Snake cholla, Snake Cholla

Family: Cactaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Snake cholla is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in southern Southern California Coastal region in coastal-sage scrub and coastal chaparral at elevations below 250 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces yellow to yellow-green flowers with purple-tipped petals, forming distinctive blossoms on its branching structure. Growing up to 1.5 meters tall with several decumbent to erect trunks, the plant features terminal segments up to 25 centimeters long and 2 to 4 centimeters in diameter. Its stems are characterized by 6 to 15 spines typically less than 2 centimeters long, ranging from yellow to orange-brown with translucent white to gold-brown sheaths. The plant develops leathery fruits with proximal tubercles prominently larger than distal ones, creating a distinctive architectural form in its native coastal habitats.

Habitat: Coastal-sage scrub, coastal chaparral

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: < 250 m

Bioregions: s SCo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.