Grusonia parishii
Parish's club-cholla, Parish's Club-Cholla
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Cactaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Grusonia parishii (Parish's club-cholla) is a native California shrub in the Cactaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by larger segments, yellow spineless fruits, and lower elevation range.
Parish's club-cholla is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the Mojave Desert and southeastern California in sandy, gravelly flats within creosote-bush and bur-sage scrub at elevations of 300 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from May to June, this cactus produces yellow-green flowers with green filaments approximately 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters long. Growing in mats or clumps up to 2 meters in diameter, it has distinctive segments 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter with prominent tubercles 12 to 25 millimeters long. Its stem segments are characterized by up to 21 spines less than 5 centimeters long, with flat gray to brown spines that have white margins and separate only at the tip. The fruit is fleshy and yellow, measuring 4.5 to 8 centimeters long, often with easily detached or absent spines.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Distinguished by larger segments, yellow spineless fruits, and lower elevation range.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy, gravelly flats generally in creosote-bush/bur-sage scrub
Elevation: 300-1200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside
Outside California: southern Nevada, western Arizona
Bloom period
Grusonia parishii blooms May-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Cylindropuntia: Grusonia has flattened major spines and stays under 10 inches; Cylindropuntia has round spines and grows waist-high or taller.; vs Echinocereus: Grusonia has segmented stems with flattened spines; Echinocereus has ribbed continuous stems with radial round spines.; vs Opuntia: Grusonia has cylindrical segments with flattened spines; Opuntia has flattened pad segments.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grusonia parishii native to California?
Yes. Grusonia parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Grusonia parishii bloom?
Grusonia parishii blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Grusonia parishii grow?
Grusonia parishii occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, at elevations of 300-1200 m.
What plant family does Grusonia parishii belong to?
Grusonia parishii is in the Cactaceae family, genus Grusonia.
Is Grusonia parishii rare or endangered?
Grusonia parishii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · 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.