What is this please ?

[lucy22]

I took this offset from a roadside mass of cactus in Portugal. Its height was enormous and grew like prickly pear in a hedge- like appearance. I cant find its name online.....can someone identify it please ? thanks.

[greenknight]

It's a Cylindroputia, commonly called a cholla (pronounced choya). my guess would be Cylindropuntia fulgida, but it's hard to say for sure.

[Kamos]

Looks like a Cylindropuntia .

[lucy22]

Thank you for that. I googled that and I now think it may be a Californica.

[greenknight]

Thank you for that. I googled that and I now think it may be a Californica.

Could be, hard to tell from that little piece. Did you see any flowers?

[lucy22]

no I didnt see any flowers....although it was wintertime. I attach a photo of a massive one growing also in Portugal....and I think its the same type.

[greenknight]

Looks like somebody got the idea of using these for fences - an extremely effective barrier! There are lots of fruits, too bad you didn't see it in spring when it was blooming. Flowers would really help - fulgida has pink to magenta flowers, while californica has green/yellow flowers with pink tips.