Cactus skeleton

[Gin]

I had to make a new post this is what they look like in the desert , the ones for use are sand blasted .

Part of the skeleton of a dead cholla stem, showing the reticulate pattern of the woody support tissues.

The dense branches of living chollas frequently are used as sites for nest-building by desert birds such as the cactus wren and curve-billed thrasher. The dead remains and fallen segments of chollas also are used frequently by desert wood rats (Neotoma species) for covering and protecting the entrances to their nests.

[Hoa Tony Nguyen]

That is an amazing looking piece of materials for mounting orchids. I have one plant mounted on it and it looks so awesome! I wish I can find more of it.
Thanks for posting!
Cheers. Hoa.

[Piper]

Wow! Thanks for posting, Gin!

I'd never heard the term before or seen one of these guys. Just call me a dumb yank...

Julie

[Gin]

If you can find a bird fair , it is like the orchid shows with vendors , it is used a lot for bird perches and in bird toys .

[Diane]

This is from a Cholla Plant (pronounced Choya) Not a true cactus, but if you ran into one in the desert you'd sure think it was a cactus. But a slightly different family. The wood skeleton is collected in most southwestern states. Try the usual giant auction site and search on Cholla. Also you can google cholla wood and get several sites that sell it. You' have to look around for the larger, plant mounting size pieces, but they aren't tooo expensive.

And if you are feeling adventurous, you can drive down into the high deserts of So. Cal, Arizona, New Mexico and find it yourself, although you have to make sure you are NOT taking out of a National Park or Monument, nor a state park. It must be cleaned up before use.

[Piper]

Gin PM'ed me with some examples for sale. I've never herd of a cactus skeleton before. I think it's your desert equivalent of our driftwood.

Julie

[Diane]

Exactly! Some folks call it desert driftwood. It is used extensively for parrot toys and perches because it has all those holes for sticking their claws into and chewing on with their beak. Smaller pieces are used in terrariums for lizards and snakes, etc.

[Hoa Tony Nguyen]

Thanks you gals, Gin and Diane for the info on this. I just place the order for a few pieces.
Cheers. Hoa.

[clintdawley]

I can see why these would make a gorgeous home for any epiphyte. Imagine how many tolumnias you could stick on one of those!

[Gin]

They would be beautiful on it , I have seen tall branched ones at the bird fairs they want a lot for them , I would settle for a used one lol . Gin