We posted that this is the first year that this cactus has had flower buds a while back and now the first two have opened on the same cactus. The (clickable) image above is a close up of one of the first two flowers now open.
From LEO AI:
The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is a iconic symbol of the American Southwest. Its flowers are a vibrant white color and bloom only at night, typically in May and June. The flowers are an important food source for various animals, including bats, hummingbirds, and bees. After pollination, the flowers develop into red, fleshy fruit that can take several years to ripen. The fruit is an important food source for desert animals, such as Gila woodpeckers and cactus wrens, which help disperse the seeds by consuming the fruit and then depositing the seeds in a new location.
The other two saguaros on the property are showing flower buds, so we should be getting lots of these beautiful flowers as we progress into May and June. We will likely post more flower photos as they pop up.
