Most of the cholla on our lot and on the neighbors produced yellow or orange flowers. Yesterday, we drove down Madison Street and saw a cholla with purple flowers. I got out of the truck and took this photo of one of the beautiful flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.
We took a nice scenic drive today up the Hassayampa River Valley. When we got to the top of one of the ridges we crossed, Verna took an image back toward the Vulture Mountains in the distance with the Hassayampa in the foreground and the Town of Wickenburg in the middle ground. Click on the thumbnail to see the full panorama. Scroll to the right to see Vulture Peak in the distance.
We bought this Bishop’s Cap cactus near Phoenix, AZ around twelve or thirteen years ago. It was in a three-inch plastic pot and it was the cutest little cactus. We took it to California and planted it in a larger pot and put it out on the patio.
Over the years, the Bishop has grown to it’s current size, about six inches across. Since about the fourth or fifth year we had it on the patio, it has been producing these nice yellow flowers that open and stay for several days. I took this photo this afternoon when all three flowers were fully open. Click on the image to enlarge.
We had a little rain today, just a trace. The clouds and patches of blue looked very pretty above the saguaro and the house. Click on the image to enlarge and you may be able to see my second saguaro flower that opened today.
Why would anyone put up with a cactus that has this spiky appearance most of the year? The answer is their flowers that appear in the spring. Click on the image to enlarge. Click here to see their flowers.
Well, last night, actually. When I went out front this morning, I saw that my first saguaro flower had opened overnight. The flower is up at about the eleven foot mark on the cactus, so I will be unable to get an image of it face on. Not to worry, though, there are plenty of buds on the lower arms that will continue opening this spring and summer. Click on the image to enlarge.
