Profile of a Teddy Bear Cholla

Teddy Bear Cholla, Superstition Mountains, AZ

I have been debating whether or not to include this photograph here, simply because I feared this image would be redundant. In a post earlier this week, I included a photograph of teddy bear cholla with the Superstition Mountains in the background. Well, this is a close-up of the teddy bear cholla. Needless to say, its name and fuzzy appearance from afar is painfully misleading. Like most cacti, this teddy bear cholla bears a serious armor of needles to poke you with. I don't recall if this variety of cholla blooms, but the northern New Mexico variety blooms bright magenta flowers, then bears fruit. Well, flowers or no flowers, this is a beautiful cactus.