Cholla cactus wood (Cylindropuntia imbricata): Hierarchical structure and micromechanical properties.

The Cholla cactus is a species of cacti that survives in arid environments and produces a unique mesh-like porous wood. In this article, we present a comprehensive investigation on the hierarchical structure and micromechanical properties of the Cholla cactus wood. Multiple approaches consisting of X-ray tomography, scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, nanoindentation, and finite element simulations were used to gain insight into the structure, property, and design principles of the Cholla cactus wood.