Desert Christmas Cactus
The Desert Christmas Cactus is a low growing cholla with thin stems, very prominent spines and persisting colorful fruit. Mixing with low desert shrubs or forming large, impenetrable thickets many meters across. Green to yellow flowers appear in early May, at the ends or along the side of the stem. Fruit green, ripening to red appears late in the season (just in time for Christmas. If you look carefully you will see two of the red fruit on this plant. This Christmas Cactus is nothing like the variety grown as a house plant.)