Have any of you heard of flying attack cactus(es)?

[Bullwinkle925]

My daughter just returned from Phoenix this morning and was telling me about them. I've never heard of them before??????
Apparently if you get too near to them they jump at you - or send their needles at you? sounds a bit porcupine-ish to me.

[Ptah]

1. They're called jumping cholla.

Their needles are so effective they seem to
jump from the cactus to you.

Edit to add pictures:








:scared:

[Bullwinkle925]

2. wow - mother nature is truly amazing.

hopefully there is some kind of natural antidote to "W"??

[sakabatou]

8. Not to be confused with its relative

the cactuar.

[Kali]

3. Cholla

one species in particular - jumping cholla or teddybear cholla

the joints break off so easily they seem to jump - of course if you say bad things about them they WILL attack so ssshhhhhh

[Bullwinkle925]

4. believe - mum is the word!

[pitohui]

10. teddybear cholla jumped a guy i was hiking with

he had to go to the ER

[Kali]

5. I just took a picture of a cholla flower yesterday

[Ptah]

6. Excellent photo, Kali

:applause:

[Kali]

7. thanks - just a cheapo digital I carry around for capturing things

like that - and that was odd - those usually bloom in May, in fact it still had fruits on it from earlier.

[Bullwinkle925]

9. and it didn't attack you?

[Kali]

11. oh no, they LIKE to be admired

also that isn't actually the "jumping" kind - the one in Ptah's photos is the jumping kind.

if you do get stuck remember to use two sticks and not your hand. And watch where you flick it or you may stick someone else.

they are quite painful, I have stepped on broken off pieces while barefoot, and they kind of burn for hours after you get them out.