Flowers

My reliable Bishop’s Cap cactus is flowering again. Only three flowers today, not nearly a record for this cactus, but pretty indeed.

I did a little research on Wikipedia and came up with this information about one of my favorite cacti:

Astrophytum myriostigma (common names: Bishop’s Cap Cactus, Bishop’s Hat or Bishop’s Miter Cactus) is a species of cactus native to the highlands of northeastern and central Mexico.

Synonyms include Echinocactus myriostigma, Astrophytum prismaticum, A. columnare, A. coahuilense, A. tulense, and A. nuda.

A. myriostigma is a spineless cactus defined by the presence of three to seven (usually five) pronounced vertical ribs which define the cactus’ shape when young (the genus name “astrophytum”, literally, “star plant”, is derived from the resulting star-like shape). As the cactus ages, more ribs may be added and it becomes more cylindrical in shape, growing up to about 70–100 cm tall and 10–20 cm in diameter. In the wild, globose to cylindrical stem is covered with a whitish flocking of trichomes. Some horticultural varieties lack the flocking.

In the wild, the cacti flower in early spring, so that their seeds can grow with summer rains. In cultivation this differs, and the plants may flower in summer. Plants produce one or more flowers 4–6 cm diameter near the apex; the numerous tepals are creamy yellow, sometimes with an orange or red base. Pollinated flowers develop into a hairy reddish fruit about 2-2.5 cm in diameter. Plants may take up to six years to flower. A. myriostigma is commonly grown as an ornamental plant in cactus collections.

I usually try to put up a slideshow towards the end of springtime to display pictures we have taken of cactus flowers each year. This is this year’s collection of flower pictures taken since the first flowers of spring in March, or so. Click on the image to advance each slide.

This is a list of the flowers in the slideshow (in order of appearance):

• Argentine Giant Flower
• Ferocactus Flower
• Saguaro Flowers
• Prickly Pear Flower with Pollinator
• Orange Prickly Pear Flower
• Ocotillo
• Cow’s Tongue Cactus Flower
• Saguaro Flower and Hummingbird
• Hedgehog Cactus Flower
• Saguaro Flower
• Devil’s Tongue Barrel Cactus Flower
• Cholla Flower
• Bishop’s Cap Flowers
• Beavertail Cactus Flower
• Barrel Cactus Quartet of Flowers

Not all of these flower pictures were taken on our property, but most of them. All were taken within town limits of Wickenburg, AZ.

I show a lot of desert flowers here because they are so beautiful. This one is no exception to that, but it has a little story behind it.

A couple of winters ago, I removed a paddle from a prickly pear cactus growing on the hill east of our house and put it into a pot in the courtyard. Like a good little succulent, it took root and sprouted more paddles. When it got fairly large, we transplanted it to the side of the RV drive west of the house, where it still grows.

This summer, the cactus had this single flower bud. In the image above, you can see the little cactus in the inset where it sits next to the RV driveway. Click on the image to enlarge.

I planted another paddle in a pot in the courtyard last year and it is now also just about ready for transplanting. We’ll get to that one and several others when time and cooler weather permit in the coming days.

The first flower of the season on my Devil’s Tongue Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus latispinus) has opened. I got this photo yesterday before the rabbits and/or other desert critters munched on it and a couple of the buds.

I think I have the binomial name for this species correct although many of the on-line references show purple or pink flowers. I have another, smaller, Devil’s Tongue Barrel that does get purple flowers in late summer or fall. This one, however, has always had yellow flowers in late spring or early summer.

This cactus followed us from California in a large terra cotta pot. We planted it in the ground and it seems to like it here, as do many of the cacti we brought with us.

Click on the image to enlarge. Don’t mind the little bugs on the petals because I’m not about to flick them off with all those sharp spikes down there.

Only about a week later than the first flowers from last year, my first red bird of paradise (a.k.a. Pride of Barbados) bud opened today. Of the three caesalpinia pulcherrima shrubs in the courtyard, this is the largest in spring growth. Two years ago, it was the retarded one with the others growing larger before it did. But they all grew and had flowers all summer long.

More 411 on the RBoP/PoB from Wikipedia:

Caesalpinia pulcherrima is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the tropics and subtropics of the Americas. It could be native to the West Indies, but its exact origin is unknown due to widespread cultivation. Common names for this species include Poinciana, Peacock Flower, Red Bird of Paradise, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, and flamboyant-de-jardin.

It is a shrub growing to 3 m tall. The leaves are bipinnate, 20–40 cm long,bearing 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-10 pairs of leaflets 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm broad. The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow, orange or red petals. The fruit is a pod 6–12 cm long.