Viewing comments posted by lasertrimguy

A cactus garden will never take the place of a petting zoo. With this in mind, even a cactus garden will reach new levels of threat with Jumpers. Curve-billed thrashers will build their nests on the top of these plants because predators have not figured out how to climb over the nasty spines.

Jumping Cholla branches have harpooned spines, each with a protective "paper" sheath to keep the barbs sharp for their moment of action. Touch a needle and it will securely anchor to your skin. Pull it out and the mooring quills will yank flesh and blood with them. If you reflexively grab a clinging branch with your hand, you will have suddenly inserted many more spines into your innocent self.

SO DON'T PANIC

GET TOOLS (fork, tongs or even sticks) AND SLOWLY PRY THE BRANCH OFF

I have dozens of these beautiful cacti on my property. I have grown most of them from branches off of a mature plant. Stick a broken branch in the ground, right side up or upside down and it takes off.

I have not seen this plant for sale in any local Tucson or Phoenix nursery. You cannot legally extract and transport this indigenous Arizona plant without a permit. I think you can transport branches without a permit and therefore you can start your own plants from gathered unrooted pieces.