Any of you texas guys have any or can get any I'd like a couple boxes of it in various sizes if possible??
Cholla??
- Thread starter Flacer22
- Start date
I believe @Nubsnstubs usually has some.....
Andy, I've never heard of any growing in Texas. Only in the old western movies that depicted Texas but filmed in Old Tucson was the only time that Cholla resided in Texas.
what OD's and lengths are you looking for? .............. Jerry (in Cholla Land, Tucson)
Haha definitely shows how little I know!!
I obviously know little about it but I was hoping for some 4-5in in diameter for casting. I'd like it really in a verity of sizes I just got a box and really kinda like it but everything I have is about 1in diameter and 5in long I'm wanting more options for different molds I have if that makes sense.
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I can get 5" OD stuff. It just takes a little longer to find. 4" stuff is relatively easy, but again, gotta look hard for it. 3" stuff can be gotten without any effort at all.
What lengths are you looking for? 24" pieces are pretty easy to get in the sizes mentioned above. The OD's is where the size issue is.
Show me a picture of what you already have. I ask as we have 3 varieties here around Tucson. One is Cylindopuntia Fulgida. That one I have found with trunks 17" OD up to 18" tall. The average is between 3-5". 4" trunks are pretty much the stasndard unless you get into a heavy forest of old growth stuff. No, it hasn't been harvested. It's stuff that clings to amimals that will drop off a mile or two from the parent and will take root and start growing. Then, there are animal droppings that will have seeds and will germinate creating new forests.
The next is called Cylindopuntia Versicolor, also called Staghorn Cholla.. That sounds like what you already have without seeing it. The trunks can get up to 8-10 OD, but pretty rare. It's exceptional WOOD compared to the Fulgida variety.
The last is Teddy Bear Cholla. The trunks only have a woody structure of about 1/4" thick, up to 3" OD, but is absolutely gorgeous as far as Cholla goes. ............... Jerry (in Tucson)
O boy there are different types lol! I'm going to get a new phone Hopefully next couple days untill then I have no cam phone one quit working 
. The pieces I have seem really hard but all small like 1-2 maybe 3in diameter at most and the bigger ones have far less holes in them couple almost no holes at all. The smaller ones all completely hollow with nice holes all way around. Not sure if that description helps ya at all haha soon as I get a cam or someone at my shop to take a pic I'll get one on here.
. The pieces I have seem really hard but all small like 1-2 maybe 3in diameter at most and the bigger ones have far less holes in them couple almost no holes at all. The smaller ones all completely hollow with nice holes all way around. Not sure if that description helps ya at all haha soon as I get a cam or someone at my shop to take a pic I'll get one on here.
Andy, this picture is more than likely a piece of Versicolor Cholla.O boy there are different types lol! I'm going to get a new phone Hopefully next couple days untill then I have no cam phone one quit working
This next one is Barb's made from the Fulgida variety.
It looks fragile, but both varieties are pretty darn stable if it's not punky or termite ridden............. Jerry (in Tucson)
Here is what I have
That is cylindropuntia Versicolor. It is solid compared to the Fulgida variety. It can be found with larger sections near the ground before it branches, but most I've seen are still alive, and I ain't gonna tackle a live one.....
If you want Fulgida, at 4"+ OD, I can see what I can get next weekend. Gonna get out into the desert and legally pick up some trunks only, hopefully over 5" OD. I know of a place that has about 5-6 large dead skeletons..... ............ Jerry (in Tucson)
Ya that sounds good I'm up for whatever really. Now that your educating me on cholla Im up for some of the types I don't have in larger or smaller sizes. Why do u say the teddy bear is beautiful what makes it different?? The holes in mine compared to one of blanks u posted definitely are nicer for casting
I'll see if I have a piece later tonight, get a picture and let you decide. It would make excellent Tea Lights. ................. Jerry (in Tucson)
@Nubsnstubs Jerry I would maybe like a section of 4' diameter stuff to make some turkey pots calls. Oh yeah don't be talking trash about Texas ain't got no cholla. Tell that to my calves after backing into some on the deer lease. That crap will jump over and attack you. I think what we have here is called walking cane cholla but it still jumps at ya!!
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Barry we have a Cane Cholla, Cylindropuntia Spinosior. It grows in Western New Mexico, central Arizona, and into Mexico. It hybridizes with the Fulgida and Versicolor making it difficult to determine a true species. The stems in your picture look a lot like the cactus I just described. the caption on the bottom left of your picture makes me wonder if Texas didn't import them for cattle food.
Cows love to eat Cholla stems here. They'll have 10 pieces sticking on their faces and will be gingerly chewing one. I don't know how they get them off their faces, but today you will see a cow plastered with them, and tomorrow the same cow is clean.... ...........
Andy, the Teddy Bear cactus has walls that are only 1/4" thick maybe. They are loaded with holes, but there really isn't anything you can do with the actual stalk unless you flattened it like the ancient Egyptians did with the papyrus stalks they used for writing on. I suppose you could make a veneer pattern with it when flattened. I wonder if steaming it would make it flexible. Damn, another experiment some day.
@Flacer22, I have about 4 boxes of Cholla I made up for Waco 2019, but vehicle problems stopped me. I saved the Cholla to use at Waco 2020, but the covid crap stopped that one, even though I had put in a new engine. So, I have boxes of 4", 5", 8", and 10" long Cholla.
The 10" Cholla box has 16 pieces, with the smallest OD at 2 1/4" and the largest at 3 1/8". All have been on the lathe and have been trued up with little natural surface left on them. The walls are also pretty much the same thickness in each piece since they were centered at head stock and tail stock. Those are readily available. There are no pictures as they are still in the boxes. I weighed 2 of the larger pieces. One was 2 grams over one pound, and the other was 40 grams short of one pound. ........ Jerry (in Tucson).
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Do any of those box's have some 4in of stuff?? If so I'd be game to try a couple boxes. What type is it? I'm ok with some not cleaned up stuff too
Andy, today I went into the desert and pilferred some Cholls. Most of the stuff I got is 4" plus in OD. I cut most of the stuff at 18", 11" and then whatever the left overs are. What length pieces do you want. I'll take some pictures tomorrow when you tell me what you want. Then I'll have a price you can't refuse........ Jerry (in Tucson)
Length doesn't really matter longer the better but I'll make do with anything whatever works for u beat to ship is A ok with me
Jerry if there are anything left I would like some of that 4" diameter cholla for making pot calls
Barry, there is going to be plenty left. I only brought back 4 large trunks, but I met this guy out there that has a bunch of rescue animals on his property. We talked a bit and he said he has a couple more lots around his fenced lot. Each lot might be about 5 acres each, and there is probably over 500 lots in the area. Ninety eight percent are vacant. Anyway, I now have official permission to collect wood stuff off his property. Now, I just need to get my stuff together, finish this damn Missouri job I'm gonna start, and get it installed in January? . Maybe I'll be able to get my butte out into the desert more often.
When I do get out there to install the entry door and cabinets, when done, I'm going down to my hometown in Louisiana, then head west. Baytown happens to be in the way. Maybe I could stop in for gas or something. Whatdoyouthink? ............ Jerry (in Tucson)
Andy, I'm gonna take a guess and understand BEAT is meant to be BEST. Am I right??
None of this will be any longer than 11 1/2" for a large flat rate box. There will be 2 pieces and cleaning is done with air blow out only. I want 30 dollars plus 21.10 for shipping for a total of 51.10. Pictures of what I have below. OD is indicated at each end. Length is 11 3/4? cut to fit the box.
These are the ones I'm sending, plus some peanuts. One of the nuts is a pelican. If you like what you see, PM me with your address and I'll send you PP info. ........... Jerry (in Tucson)
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