isomorph

Silver Chollas Die From the Ground Upwards

This is half of what I salvaged from a Silver Cholla that was run over by a tank last November. We call them "O.J. Cactuses." Chollas have wooden skeletons and hard, sharp needles that will go right through a combat boot and into your foot. You know when someone walks into one at night because they yell, "Oh Jesus!" before proceeding to swear a lot more.

I transplanted them yesterday, and saw that all the branches on the bottom half had died. Each cactus was still clinging to the decomposing remains of its lower branches with its spines. Ironic, I suppose, that something so anti-social would be that sentimental.

This is the only part that is left from what was once a very bushy branch. The fact that it has survived this long (starting with no roots), with this much left is pretty impressive.