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Species library › Cylindropuntia › Cylindropuntia whipplei
Succulents Well documented

Cylindropuntia whipplei

Whipple cholla is a low, spreading, cold-hardy cholla of the Colorado Plateau and the high deserts of the American Southwest, with short, spiny jointed stems and yellow flowers. It is among the hardiest chollas and can grow outdoors in cold, dry climates when its soil drains perfectly.

Cylindropuntia whipplei
Photo: John Brew, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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

Open grassland, pinyon-juniper woodland and desert scrub on rocky or sandy slopes and mesas.

About 900–2,300 m; the 5,000 m maximum in the records is an error.

United States (Arizona)United States (New Mexico)United States (Utah)United States (Colorado)United States (Nevada)

🔒 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 4.0 licence, unmodified.