Desert Christmas cactus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desert Christmas cactus |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Cylindropuntia |
| Species: |
C. leptocaulis
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| Binomial name | |
| Cylindropuntia leptocaulis F.M.Knuth
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| Synonyms | |
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The Cylindropuntia leptocaulis is a type of cholla cactus. It has many common names. Some people call it the desert Christmas cactus or desert Christmas cholla. Others know it as the pencil cactus or tasajillo.
What is the Desert Christmas Cactus?
This cactus grows like a shrub. It can reach about 0.5 to 1.8 meters (1.6 to 5.9 feet) tall. Sometimes, it grows even taller if it gets support from nearby desert trees.
Its branches are thin, usually 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) wide. The cactus has spines, but not many. Each small bump on the plant, called an areole, usually has 0 to 1 spine. Sometimes, it might have up to 3 spines.
The flowers of the desert Christmas cactus are pale yellow or greenish yellow. They might have red tips. These flowers open in the late afternoon. Around December, the plant grows bright red berries.
Where Does it Grow?
The desert Christmas cactus is found in many places. It grows across the Southwestern United States. You can also find it in several states in Northern Mexico.
This cactus likes different types of environments. It lives in deserts and grasslands. It also grows in chaparral areas and woodlands.
Gallery
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Desert Christmas Cactus in Sahuarita, Arizona.
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Desert Christmas Cactus fruit.
See also
In Spanish: Tasajillo para niños
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