This is a pink flower on a cholla cactus here in town. Now, we have dozens of cholla on and around our lot and none of them produce pink flowers – always orange or yellow. I’d like to get a cutting of this and plant it in a pot until it’s big enough to transplant to a place in the yard. But, this one (the only one in town?) is on a private lot. Click on the image to enlarge.
Two years ago, when Bob and I were just buying the lot to build our retirement dream home, the wild desert cacti on the hill and in the wash behind the graded part of the lot were teeming with spring flowers. That’s still true today. I walked up the hill a bit to get this image of a beautiful cholla flower. If I recall correctly, reader and commenter Crotalus says this is a buckhorn cholla, a.k.a jumping cholla or a dozen other names. Whatever it’s called, the flowers are gorgeous. Click on the image to enlarge.
We went shopping in the Northwest Valley today. Bob stopped to get gas and I noticed that the “Pride of Barbados” (Red Bird of Paradise) flowers were blooming on the shrubs next to the gas station. I snapped this photo of a red bird blossom.
The elevation at our place in Wickenburg is about a thousand feet higher than the valley and our red birds come about a month later than theirs. Still, I got to see my favorite shrub in bloom today. It is a nice preview of what will be in our courtyard next month. Click on the image to enlarge.
There are still a few flower buds on my ocotillo out front. I had hoped for more, but the monsoons have not come yet. I have been watering around the base lately with limited amounts of water. Maybe the ocotillo will kick in to high flower gear and (hopefully) get a few green leaves too. Click on the image to enlarge.
Today, we went to do our weekly grocery shopping. I picked out a couple of bunches of flowers for the great room. Thse are nearly-white Vendela roses and white carnations. Both look and smell pretty. Click on the image to enlarge.
Many of the saguaro cacti in the area have started to bloom. The saguaro flower is the state flower of Arizona. I took this photo at the shopping center at the west end of town this afternoon on the way home from the dog park. Click on the image to enlarge.
At the end of spring 2011, the landscaper planted shrubs and a small tree in the courtyard. Now that spring 2012 is here, the courtyard is dominated with the blue blossoms on the three Cleveland sage bushes. The little pink blossoms on the plum tree are all but gone and soon the vivid red and yellow flowers on the red bird of paradise shrubs will dominate. Click on the image to enlarge.