Cylindropuntia bigelovii

The teddy-bear cholla, a densely spined, golden cholla of the low Sonoran and Colorado deserts whose stem segments detach at a touch and root where they fall, so stands are often clones. It needs blazing sun, extreme summer heat, very little water and a gritty mix; handle it with tongs.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Hot low desert on rocky slopes, bajadas and alluvial fans, densest on the rockiest sites, alongside ocotillo and saguaro.

Up to about 900 m; the measured sites lie at 314 to 669 m.

California (Colorado Desert)ArizonaNevadaNorthwestern Mexico

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 3.0 licence, unmodified.