There must be a dozen or more different cholla cactus. I think this one is a "Hanging Fruit" cholla but don't know for sure. The plant's nickname, Jumping cholla, comes from the plant's tendency to release its very sharp needle-like spines at the slightest contact. Our dog, Dani, learned this lesson the hard way when she stuck her nose into a patch of cholla and ended up with spines attached to her from nose to rump. It could have been worse and she did learn an important lesson with only some discomfort to herself. The best treatment I have found for removing cactus needles is a thick coating of white glue over the needles left to dry and than ripped off the skin. This works well for humans but Dani's treatment required tweezers, patience, and a hard-heart attitude. (Those are "young" saguaro cactus in the background.)
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