Common Name: Teddy Bear Cholla

General Information

Cylindropuntia bigelovii is a spiny, evergreen, succulent, densely-branched, tree-like cactus; it grows around 30 - 150cm tall, occasionally reaching 300cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental[].
Cylindropuntia bigelovii is a very widespread and extremely common species with no major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[, ].
Opuntia species can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, especially in older parts of the plant. Perfectly alright in small quantities, foods containing oxalic acid should not be eaten in large amounts since it can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[, ].

Botanical References

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Range

Southwest N. America - southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, northern Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)

Habitat

Rocky slopes in the Sonoran desert scrub, sand dunes along the beach in coastal Atriplex dominated scrub, and further inland on flats and on rocky slopes (mostly volcanic rock) in desert scrub.; at elevations from 300 - 900 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.20 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

In cultivation, Cactus plants generally will not succeed in moist climates. They usually require a sunny position in a well-drained, circumneutral soil and to be kept more or less dry in the dormant season[].
This species spreads primarily by vegetative propagation. The upper or younger stem segments fall at a touch, and the barbed spines are difficult and painful to pull out of your flesh. The plants propagate prolifically from these readily-rooting fallen stems. The resulting mine-field of spines is a serious hazard to the walker[].
The outer wall of the fruit is actually formed from stem material and, in many species of Cylindropuntia, once detached from the plant will form roots and grow into a new plant. This is often the main way in which a plant will reproduce[]
Many of the plants in this species are triploid; consequently there is very little chance of their seeds being viable. Pollen production is also highly variable; certainly the triploid plants produce relatively few pollen grains[].
Because the plant is so spiny, it was used traditionally to cover new graves and thus discourage animals such as coyotes from digging there[].

Edible Uses

In the past,this species used to be an important food source for the people of Isla Tiburón[].

Buds and young stem segments - cooked[, ]. Traditionally, they were pit-baked, often being dried afterwards for later use[]. The green to grey-green stem segments are 4 -18cm × 2 - 5cm[].

Medicinal

A diuretic tea is made from the roots[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a very well-drained compost in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from winter wet. Make sure you have some reserve plants in case those outdoors do not overwinter.
Cuttings of leaf pads or fruits at any time in the growing season. Remove a pad from the plant and then leave it in a dry sunny place for a couple of days to ensure that the base is thoroughly dry and has begun to callous. Pot up into a sandy compost. Very easy, rooting quickly.