cholla

noun

chol·​la ˈchȯi-yə 

: any of numerous shrubby opuntias chiefly of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that have needlelike spines partly enclosed in a papery sheath and cylindrical joints

called also cholla cactus

Illustration of cholla

Did you know?

A shrubby cactus chiefly of the southwestern United States and Mexico, a cholla has cylindrical joints and needlelike spines partly enclosed in a papery sheath. Chollas vary greatly in size and have small flowers that are sometimes yellow-green and inconspicuous, but usually of more striking colors. One cholla, the desert Christmas cactus, bears bright red fruits through the winter. Living plants serve as food for desert animals. Cholla wood, a hollow cylinder with regularly spaced holes, is used for fuel and decorative novelties. Some cholla fruit is edible.

Examples of cholla in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cactuses native to the Sonoran Desert are also represented here, from the cholla cactus to the prickly pear cactus, which some may know only through its namesake margarita. —Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2024

Cactus spines are not toxic, but getting pierced by a jumping cholla, prickly pear or other cactus spine can be painful and could lead to infection. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 5 June 2024

From summer into fall, berries and cactus fruit, including cholla, saguaro, and prickly pear, become an important part of the diet. —Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 2024

As the light catches the cholla needles, the cactus glows like a neon sign in Vegas. —Maggie Downs, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from Spanish, head

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above