Swift Trail Junction, AZ | February 2014 | positive
A magical jumbled criss-cross of bright green thorns in the dull deciduous desert and I am losing sleep over it. xenomorf or any plant sc...Read Moreientist in Southern Arizona, please tell me if there is a difference between Castela Emoryi and Canotia Halocanthia?
I have seen tons of these near the roadside of Route 70 between Safford and Globe at 3000'. My plants all are green or mottled green, the extended 2" spines all end in a point, as do the branches themselves. Sometimes two green spines emanates from a joint. No flowers. The plant has a wrinkled trunk going into the ground. I have seen a long tap root which sometimes springs up new "crucifixion" thorn plants. Soil is sandy. Please help me desert gardeners. Do I have to send a branch to boyce arboretum? help!! Thank you! Hardpan
There are some good examples of this plant towards the back (western portion) of the "Park of the Canals" in North-Central Mesa, AZ. They...Read More are used by Cactus Wrens as nesting sites or false nesting sites to dissuade predation. Oddly enough, there is not a single example of this plant in the "Brinton Desert Botanical Garden" located at the entrance to the park.
this plant is endemic to the desert sw and is hard to find. i have not heard of it's propagation. populations of this plant are limited...Read More and somewhat threatened by wildcrafting herbalists. this plant is very sensitive and should not be harvested, it is easily opened to sun and wind burn. i have yet to see a stand that has not been damaged by poor and improper harvesting techniques where numerous wounds are inflicted on the plant as individual thorns are harvested leaving too many places to heal, and losing precious moisture in the arid regions it grows. if harvest must be done ( really i see no must! there are other plants ) it should be a single whole branch by a person who knows the individual plant and it's community.
I see this plant all around the Sedona area and would like to know where I can buy one. They are really beautiful and unusual especially...Read More in the higher areas.
A magical jumbled criss-cross of bright green thorns in the dull deciduous desert and I am losing sleep over it. xenomorf or any plant sc...Read More
There are some good examples of this plant towards the back (western portion) of the "Park of the Canals" in North-Central Mesa, AZ. They...Read More
this plant is endemic to the desert sw and is hard to find. i have not heard of it's propagation. populations of this plant are limited...Read More
I see this plant all around the Sedona area and would like to know where I can buy one. They are really beautiful and unusual especially...Read More
This plant has NO leaves, only thorns.