Semi-deserts. Sandy, rocky openings and grasslands. Summer.
BLM lands near Hovenweep National Monument, Utah, June 11, 2007.

In the Four Corners area these tall and spreading Cacti are uncommon; they are found in just a few locations in southwestern Colorado near Pagosa Springs, one location in the very southeast corner of Utah near Hovenweep National Monument, none in Arizona, and a few locations in the Four Corners area of New Mexico. They are very common in central and southern New Mexico and eastern Colorado. See the map below.

Main branches are stout and thick, spines are numerous but do not obscure the main branch, and flowers are large, numerous, and attractive.  The plants thrive on hot areas of sand, rock, and grasslands where they commonly grow four to seven feet tall and four feet wide.  The population shown in the photographs on this website grow to at most five feet tall and wide. 

The abundant populations of this plant in central New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and very southern Arizona commonly have a strong central trunk branching at 6-16 inches above the ground and the branches often curve from a horizontal to vertical position.  The plants shown on this website are typically four feet tall, they branch near ground level, and the branches can be horizontal for three feet.  These and other characteristics lead some botanists to consider the plants shown below to be hybrids between C. imbricata and C. whipplei or to be hybrids that have again crossed with C. imbricata or to be hybrids without the back cross or to be pure species, not a hybrid. I think the latter.

The Cylindropuntia genus and the species Cylindropuntia imbricata were named by F. M. Knuth in 1935.  The genus name is for the cylindrical stem shape of this Cactus, which was formerly in the Opuntia genus.  "Imbricata" means shingled and refers to the shingle-like arrangements of the tubercles  --  the long, narrow bumps along the stem.

The three or four rows of tubercles immediately below the flowers are soft, new spring growth.  Notice that the older tubercles below this section are longer, wider, and a lighter shade of green.  Spines on the new growth are at first soft and short but they will stiffen and lengthen within a few weeks.  Also see the photograph immediately below for the contrast between the new and old growth.

The dark green growth and the flowers all grew in the first few weeks of the spring of 2007.  The lighter green stem and longer spines are the growth from 2006.

Click for second page of Cylindropuntia imbricata photographs.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Cylindropuntia imbricata