cholla
/ˈtʃɔɪə
/
noun
A cactus with a cylindrical stem, native to Mexico and the south-western US.
- Genus Opuntia, family Cactaceae.
- Less than an hour west of Tucson, coasting down State Highway 86 before reaching Kitt Peak and the Baboquivari Mountains, a small hill rises from the cholla, saguaro, and mesquite dotting the landscape.
- Land plants include many cacti, the most spectacular of which are the saguaro, with its thick, armlike branches, and a number of large chollas, such as the tree cholla, the jumping cholla, and the cane cholla.
Origin
Mid 19th century: Mexican Spanish use of Spanish cholla 'skull, head', of unknown origin.