| Jumping Cholla | |
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The Cholla Garden, on the road to Pinto Basin, is a fine place to stop and stroll. The main attraction is the dense assemblage of jumping cholla ("choya"), Opuntia bigelovii. They get the name because pieces of cactus break off while the spines hold onto you, as if they had jumped off the plant. This species is also called teddy-bear cholla, because its spines are so dense it resembles fur. The stems turn black with age.
The ground around the plants is covered with stones, not the stereotype sand. This stony covering is called desert pavement.
(c) Copyright 2002 Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com, Inc.
