Hi. A cholla cactus’ entire skeleton was recently discovered. I desire to
You may bring it inside. Are there any risks involved, such as flaws inside the “branches”? How would you advise that I keep it? I’m grateful.
ANSWER:
I had never considered this previously. If you have Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree cholla), I believe there might be some tiny “critters” hidden in the holes, and when you bring the plant indoors, they might come crawling or slithering out. However, people have traditionally brought them into their homes for use as walking sticks or decorations, so there shouldn’t be much of a problem there.
I wouldn’t be concerned about any insects if I were you, but because you asked the question, it is clear that you are. I’ll therefore propose a few concepts. Since I don’t know the size of your specimen, some of these might not be applicable.
Put it in the attic; the heat of Arizona should kill anything living there in about a week.
Give it a week or so to sit, cover it with a large garbage bag, toss in some moth balls, and set it outside so the bugs can go.
Again, if you just bring it in as is, I don’t think there will be much of a problem.
Regarding preservation, it will survive for a very long period without your intervention, but you could always seal it with an oil or a spray-on coating like polyurethane. Either of these has the capacity to alter the appearance or hue. For all of your alternatives, I’d advise speaking with a paint store or home center.
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