#jumping cholla

[desert-love]

[nocternalrandomness]

Monsoon Storm in the Sonoran Desert

[hike2moons]

[actaecon]

Phoenix Mountain Reserve

[succulentsurfer]

The most dangerous cactus on earth. The Arizona Teddy Bear cactus or Jumping Cholla has needles so evolutionarily advanced that at the lightest touch, microscopic backward facing hooks grab onto you and when removed they rip out chunks of flesh causing serious bleeding. In the wild when attached to an unsuspecting animal, these segments will grow taproots into the humid flesh and slowly kill the animal while it's frantic running to escape the pain leads it to disperse the plant far and wide in the arizona desert.

[thecamerandthekid]

We take our nature walks for granted in Arizona.

[lioninsunheart]

Insomnia-Opus XXIII

Have you ever taken a walk in the desert at sunrise? Only the fearless and aware hiker knows to keep their distance from the “Jumping Cholla Cactus”...if you are unfortunate enough to have one impale you--my best course of action is to find two large rocks --press them on the cactus--and pull them out quickly..you will notice a silent moaning escape your lips as you do..and you learn not to tease them...LSH  (P.S. you will find small little barbs left in your skin for about 3-4 days later--and you will have to take tweezers to pull them out--I swear--I learned to walk through them and never be attacked-the beauty that was beyond and around them inspired my bravery and courage)

Facts: 

This plant can be found in the Mexican Sonoran desert and southwestern parts of the USA. 

The spines of the Jumping Cholla are covered with a thin, paper-like sheath that can be tan, gold, silver or white colored. This layer reflects light and produces a beautiful, colorful effect after illumination of jumping cholla with light.

Easily detachable spines are responsible for an unusual name of this plant.

 Spines are able to jump and attack humans and animals that are brave enough to approach this plant, hence the name - jumping cholla.

Jumping cholla has barbed spines. Barbs are microscopically small but they easily penetrate the skin and additionally complicate and impede removal of the spines from the body.

[clogging]

Gang Of Thorns by PatrickMarsonOng