Cholla's are Blooming

A blooming Cholla along the Rio Chama near Big Eddy

It's late June, and the Cholla are blooming. A beautiful cactus bloom, native to New Mexico, also known as the "Walking Stick Cholla" or "Chainlink Cactus" have lovely reddish pink blooms and can be spotted along the shores of the Rio Grande and Rio Chama.
The Cholla is found in the Southwestern United States and Northern New Mexico, often growing in cooler climates compared to other cactus species.
Cholla's are a hardy species, and can grow tall, up to 15ft tall with a "trunk" of 10 inches in Diameter. The bloom typically in late spring or early summer with 2 inch wide blooms and bear yellowish cone-shaped fruits that are easily mistaken for blooms. The fruit are eaten by animals such as deer and sheep, and birds, though uneaten fruit will be retained by the plant all winter. Stems can fall from a plant and can grow a new cholla.
This is just another gorgeous feature of the flora and fauna of our Wild and Scenic Rivers of Northern New Mexico!