Just When You Thought Field Trips Were Over

5th graders from Brawley Christian Academy were at the museum today.

Though the forecast this morning warned of 106 degree temperatures, that dd not deter from a robust museum field trip experience. This included propagating pencil cactus.

Though it was hot, it was pretty cool! And we had a fun learning objective today.

We filled small ceramic pots propagating Cylindropuntia ramosissima, a pencil cholla native to the Sonoran Desert, and Euphorbia tirucalli, or pencil cactus native to India. 

Though not endemic to Southern California, the pencil cactus grows as big as a tree and can be found as an ornamental plant in private homes around the Valley. When cut it secrets a milky white sap that is toxic, but it propagates super well from a cutting. 

Because it is not native, I refer to it as our No. 2 Pencil Cactus!