There is a species of Cactus in Colorado that will grow large enough to form a small tree. The Cactus is Ylindropuntia Whipplei. The common name is a Cholla and there are around 20 different ones around the South West. I thought they might make a really nice Cactus Bonsai. The problem was finding one in a tree form. I thought about trying to collect one, but I quickly came to my senses when I realized just how big some of them are and they are armed with some of the nastiness thorns you would every want to come across. I could visualize hundreds of these thorns complete with hooks on the ends of the thorns stuck in various places on my body. So I ditched the idea of collecting one and tried to find one in a nursery. I did see a nice one last year at Nicks Garden Center in Aurora, but bought something else instead. Went back latter and it was gone. Fast forward to this spring and they had some new ones in. They had 2 different kinds. The normal green colored ones and several that looked like a silver colored ones. One of the silver colored ones caught my eye and I bought it and brought it home. The one I bought is called: Opuntia whipplei ‘Snow Leopard’ (Silver Cholla). It looks silver or white because the thorns are white colored. It has yellow/green flowers in late spring.

I decided it was now going to be a Bonsai and carefully selected a pot for it and decided on nice glazed pot from Chuck Iker. My most immediate problem was trying to get into its new pot with out getting a lot of those hooked shaped thorns in my hands. I laid the pot over on the table and was trying to get it to slip out of the pot. No luck on this idea, I could not find my tongs anywhere, I finally used a couple of chop sticks to hold it down while I yanked the pot off it. Success, now I raked out the numerous roots and removed a lot of the normal looking soil. I was very surprised by this soil and it did not appear to be soil for a Cactus at all. I decided not to mess with success on the soil and added some regular fast draining Bonsai soil I raked off another tree and use it on this tree. I placed the tree in the pot and it was very unsteady. I wired the tree into the pot and it was now very sturdy now. I used my chop stick to ensure there no air holes in the soil and the tree was now finished. Now it was time to wait to see how the tree would respond to it being re-potted. I did read not to water the Cactus for 2 weeks which I did do. I finally watered the tree and put it out in the sun.

The tree is now responding with new buds on top of almost all of the larger branches or arms. Right now they a purplish color to them.

I did spend about a week trying to find the tiny microscopic thorns stuck in my fingers. I might mention I did have on a heavy pair of leather gloves which did a pretty good job for the most part.

I took the tree down to my mentor Larry Jackel and asked him if he would help wire the tree and he said yes. I did not tell him it was a Cholla. I walked in the door with the tree and I could hear him screeching something about the tree! Needless to say he declined to help wire the tree and I must admit I did not wire it either. I did once wire a Barberry tree, every branch to.

I am very excited about this new tree. I am now having to pluck Crab-apple petals out of the tree with a pair of forceps. Oh well, its amazing how deep those petals can get into the tree and around all of those thorns.

Cholla Cactus by DesertUsa

Cylindropuntia Whipplei by American Southwest

Opuntia whipplei ‘Snow Leopard’ (Silver Cholla) by The Cactus Man

Whipple’s Cholla, Whipple’s Cactus ‘Snow Leopard’ by Dave’s Garden

Whipple’s cholla : Cylindropuntia whipplei ‘Snow Leopard’ by Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Here are some photos of the tree :

Gallery 05-15-2018: