Cylindropuntia echinocarpa
Silver or golden cholla, Silver Or Golden Cholla
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Cactaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 3.3
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (Silver or golden cholla) is a native California shrub in the Cactaceae family, recognized by northern range extension and pale spines are key features.
Silver or golden cholla is a California native shrub found in southern Sierra Nevada Foothills, southern Sierra Nevada, and desert regions in creosote-bush scrublands and Great Basin scrub at elevations of 300 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow-green flowers with green to pale yellow filaments. Growing up to 3 meters tall with spreading to upward-curving branches and short terminal segments about 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter, it forms distinctive clusters of pale gray to translucent yellow spines. Its branches feature prominent tubercles 6 to 15 millimeters long, with 9 to 20 spines per segment that are less than 4 centimeters long. The plant produces dry fruits with dense spines and can generate seeds less than 6 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; northern range extension and pale spines are key features
Habitat and range
Habitat: Creosote-bush/white bur-sage, blackbush, saltbush, other desert and GB scrub
Elevation: 300-1600 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, Inyo, Mono, El Dorado
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 3.3
How to tell it apart
vs Opuntia: Cylindropuntia has cylindrical stem segments; Opuntia has flattened paddle-shaped pads.; vs Austrocylindropuntia: Cylindropuntia has papery spine sheaths that peel away; Austrocylindropuntia lacks spine sheaths entirely.; vs Echinocereus: Cylindropuntia has segmented stems that detach easily; Echinocereus has ribbed continuous stems.; vs Bergerocactus: Cylindropuntia has detachable segments with tubercles; Bergerocactus has continuous ribbed stems.; vs Grusonia: Cylindropuntia has round spines and grows waist-high or taller; Grusonia has flattened spines and stays under 10 inches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cylindropuntia echinocarpa native to California?
Yes. Cylindropuntia echinocarpa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cylindropuntia echinocarpa bloom?
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Cylindropuntia echinocarpa grow?
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa occurs in Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, Inyo, Mono and other counties, at elevations of 300-1600 m.
What plant family does Cylindropuntia echinocarpa belong to?
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa is in the Cactaceae family, genus Cylindropuntia.
Is Cylindropuntia echinocarpa rare or endangered?
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa carries California Rare Plant Rank 3.3, state rank S1?.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.