Common Name: Jumping Cholla

General Information

Cylindropuntia fulgida is a spiny, evergreen, succulent tree-like cactus with a branching trunk and a many-branched, spreading crown; it can grow 1 - 3 metres tall with a trunk up to 25cm in diameter[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. The fleshy fruits are available all year and were often a significant food resource for local people[]. The species is widely cultivated in the horticultural trade and has been introduced to other countries around the world[].
Cylindropuntia fulgida is a widespread and extremely common species with no major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].
This species has been introduced to other parts of the world where it has escaped and has become invasive, such as South Africa and Australia[]..

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 - Arizona, northern Mexico (Sinaloa and Sonora)

Habitat

Coastal scrub, creosote scrub, and desert grasslands, growing on sandy flats and rocky slopes; at elevations from sea level to 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Moths, Bees, Insects
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[].
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[]
Flowers and new fruits develop on the previous years‘ persistent fruits. In time this produces branching, pendant chains of fruits up to 60cm long[]..

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. The juicy fruit is eaten raw or made into beverages.[, ]. It can be dried and stored for later use[]. The fruits proliferate, forming long, branching, pendent chains of fruits[]. The gray-green, obconic fruits are usually spineless; the basal fruits are around 32 - 55mm long and 23 - 45mm in diameter; whilst the terminal fruits are around 20- 33mm long and 13 - 23mm in diameter[]. The fruits can hang on the plant for several years, remaining green and fleshy[].

A dried, black gum that accumulates on the stem as a result of injuries to the plant is edible and has been much appreciated by local people.. This dried gum is ground, cleaned, and cooked, often in oil, or eaten uncooked with water added[].

Medicinal

A gum extracted from the plant is a remedy for diarrhoea and shortness of breath[].

The juice, peel and pulp of the fruit, as well as the root of the plant, are used to treat diarrhoea, toothache, pains in general, kidney stones and fevers[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - fertile seeds are not often produced, the plant reproducing mainly by means of the young stem segments and fruits, which detach easily from the plant and root readily to form new plants[].
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.