cholla cactus

I have been told that it is the most hated cactus in AZ.
It is the reason that my backpack always has a piece of newspaper and tweezers in it.

The cholla has pads so that if you bump into it the entire pad will attach to you - newspaper allows you to grab the entire pad to remove.

Chollas have hollow spines which means that it takes very little pressure to get them to attach- it has been said that they attach to you even if you just get near them and some call them the "jumping cactus".
If they hit skin, the moisture will actually curve the tip and lock them in place- that's when you use the tweezers.

Horrible plants BUT they do seem to light up when you photograph them.
I still hate them. :)