Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Teddy Bear Cholla
Teddy Bear Cholla is the upright, golden cholla of the Sonoran Desert. Its single trunk carries short, thick arms packed so densely with spines that it looks fuzzy. Backlit by low sun, the spines glow. Greenish-yellow flowers open in spring. It grows slowly to about 3 to 6 feet tall, takes cold to about 0 to 5°F, and needs no water once rooted.
Best for: backlit accents in desert yards, rock gardens, native plantings and barrier spots far from paths. It is a slow, upright native that lives on rain once rooted.
Its dense spines catch low morning and evening sun, so plant it where you see it against the light. It grows slowly to about 3 to 6 feet tall.
It has a single trunk with short arms near the top. It suits rock gardens and native desert plantings, and it needs no water once rooted.
It works as a barrier plant along a far property line or a back corner. Keep it well away from walkways, patios, pools and play areas.
Its joints break off at a light touch and the barbed spines grip skin and fur. Keep it far from paths, kids and pets. Wet soil, including lawn or bed irrigation, rots it.
- Closer planting4 ft apart, center to center
- Wider planting6 ft apart, center to center
Wait about a week after planting before the first water, then water every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Once it is rooted it needs no regular water, though in a summer with little rain you can water about once a month. In winter, water lightly and only if rain does not come.
Work around it with long tongs and thick leather gloves. Pick up fallen joints with tongs so they do not root where you do not want them. Keep a comb handy to flick off a joint that sticks.
It is hardy to about 20°F. On a hard freeze night, cover young plants with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic. Take it off in the morning.
Plant it with the side that faced the sun still facing south. A newly planted cactus can sunburn its first summer, so light shade cloth helps until fall.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is teddy bear cholla soft?
No. The fuzzy look comes from dense, very sharp, barbed spines. They glow in low sun but grip skin, clothing and fur at a touch.
Why do the joints fall off?
The end joints detach at a light touch or in strong wind, most of all in the cool months. That is how it spreads, since the fallen joints root and grow into new plants.
How do I get a joint off my skin or my dog?
Slide a comb between the joint and the skin and flick it away from other people. Pull any leftover spines with tweezers. A spine in a pet's eye needs a vet.
Where should I plant it?
Plant it in full sun, well away from walkways, patios, pools and play areas. A back corner, rock garden or far property line suits it.
How big does it get?
It grows slowly to about 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, with a single trunk and arms near the top. Older plants can reach 8 feet or more.
How often should I water it?
Water a new plant about every 2 weeks through its first summer. Once it is rooted it needs no water, and irrigated, wet soil rots it.
How cold can it take?
It is hardy to about 20°F. Keep the soil dry through winter, and cover a young plant with frost cloth on a hard freeze night.
When does it bloom?
Greenish-yellow flowers about 1.5 inches across open in spring, and bees visit them.
Do birds nest in it?
Yes. Cactus wrens prefer to nest among cholla stems, and other desert birds nest and roost in them too. Bees also visit the spring flowers.
How do I plant a joint?
Pick it up with tongs, let the cut end dry, and set it in fast-draining soil. Fallen joints root easily on their own.
Teddy Bear Cholla for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Teddy Bear Cholla is a native cholla of the Arizona desert, grown for its dense golden spines and upright, tree-like shape. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: size, where to plant it, how its joints break off and root, water, cold and wildlife.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Does teddy bear cholla really jump?
No, but its joints break off at the lightest touch, and the barbed spines grip harder than the joint holds on. That is why it feels like it jumped.
How do you remove teddy bear cholla from skin or a dog?
Slide a comb between the joint and the skin and flick it away. Pull the leftover spines with tweezers. Take a pet to the vet for a spine in the eye.
Where should you plant teddy bear cholla?
Plant it in full sun, well away from walkways, patios, pools and play areas. It suits back corners, rock gardens and native plantings.
How big does teddy bear cholla get?
Plan for about 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. It grows slowly, with a single trunk and short arms near the top.
Does teddy bear cholla need water in Phoenix?
Water a new plant about every 2 weeks through its first summer. Once it is rooted it needs none, and wet soil rots it.
What is the difference between teddy bear and jumping cholla?
Teddy bear cholla is shorter, about 3 to 6 feet, with denser golden spines. Jumping cholla grows about 8 to 10 feet tall and hangs long chains of fruit.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.