Cylindropuntia echinocarpa is in the cactus family Cactaceae. Commonly known as silver cholla, it is native to the Southwest United States and Mexico. Silver cholla is a many branching cactus found in desert habitats and can grow up to 10 feet tall in some areas of the country. The many stems are dotted with fleshy tubercles from which dense spines emerge, giving this cactus a silvery appearance.
