Illustration of cholla
: any of numerous shrubby opuntias chiefly of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that have needlelike spines partly enclosed in a papery sheath and cylindrical joints
called also cholla cactus
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A shrubby cactus chiefly of the southwestern United States and Mexico, a cholla has cylindrical joints and needlelike spines partly enclosed in a papery sheath. Chollas vary greatly in size and have small flowers that are sometimes yellow-green and inconspicuous, but usually of more striking colors. One cholla, the desert Christmas cactus, bears bright red fruits through the winter. Living plants serve as food for desert animals. Cholla wood, a hollow cylinder with regularly spaced holes, is used for fuel and decorative novelties. Some cholla fruit is edible.
Examples of cholla in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From summer into fall, berries and cactus fruit, including cholla, saguaro, and prickly pear, become an important part of the diet.
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Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 2024
As the light catches the cholla needles, the cactus glows like a neon sign in Vegas.
—Maggie Downs, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Heading south on Gooseneck Trail, the route winds among saguaro and cholla cactus, crossing Rio Verde Drive at the 0.8-mile point.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024
Keep an eye out for more blooming succulents like the yucca, cholla cactus, hedgehog cactus, beavertail cactus, and Mojave mound cactus.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
But it’s been worth it for the desert’s charms: the temperate winters and the cholla and saguaro growing on the hillsides — even as the city gets hotter.
—Jack Herrera, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2023
The teddy bear cholla cactus, Joshua trees and other flora in the nearby arboretum animate visitors.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 July 2023
The cholla spines, on the other hand, were hardest to remove from pig tissue; testing showed that a single cholla spine could hook into flesh effectively enough to lift half a pound of pork by the skin.
—Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 20 Nov. 2018
After strong winds in Southern California’s Anza-Borrego Desert blew Swain sideways into a chest-high, spiky cholla cactus, Magnus pulled the cactus needles out of Swain’s leg using the tweezers from his Swiss Army knife.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 18 June 2023
Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 2024
As the light catches the cholla needles, the cactus glows like a neon sign in Vegas.
—Maggie Downs, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Heading south on Gooseneck Trail, the route winds among saguaro and cholla cactus, crossing Rio Verde Drive at the 0.8-mile point.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024
Keep an eye out for more blooming succulents like the yucca, cholla cactus, hedgehog cactus, beavertail cactus, and Mojave mound cactus.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
But it’s been worth it for the desert’s charms: the temperate winters and the cholla and saguaro growing on the hillsides — even as the city gets hotter.
—Jack Herrera, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2023
The teddy bear cholla cactus, Joshua trees and other flora in the nearby arboretum animate visitors.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 July 2023
The cholla spines, on the other hand, were hardest to remove from pig tissue; testing showed that a single cholla spine could hook into flesh effectively enough to lift half a pound of pork by the skin.
—Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 20 Nov. 2018
After strong winds in Southern California’s Anza-Borrego Desert blew Swain sideways into a chest-high, spiky cholla cactus, Magnus pulled the cactus needles out of Swain’s leg using the tweezers from his Swiss Army knife.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 18 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cholla.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Cholla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cholla. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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