We bought this Bishops cap barrel cactus over ten years ago in the Phoenix area. It lived with us at the California house for most of that time and had flowers most every summer. Since living here in Arizona, it has had many flowers – more and more often – than in the California patio. Today, eight flowers were open simultaneously – a record for this cactus. Click on the image to enlarge.
Today was our grocery shopping day. I usually pick out some flowers to take home and today I picked a dozen of these pretty “Duett” roses. They are very showy with their pinkish orange color. The color is similar to that of salmon steaks or flamingo feathers. Click on the image to enlarge.
On our way out to walk the dogs this morning, I noticed that the echinopsis “Easter Lily” cactus flower was open. I grabbed the camera and got a picture while I could. By late morning, the flower had wilted. There are several more flower buds on the cactus, so I will be alert to get pictures of them as they open.
According to Wikipedia, echinopsis species are native to South America (Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay). They grow only in situations where the soil is sandy or gravelly, or on the sides of hills in the crevices of rocks. Apparently, they are OK in Arizona too, 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.
Ron, one of our friends on the River, made this cute little yellow birdhouse for us. Today, I took it out to my “musical mesquite” tree, where I hang wind chimes and other colorful decorative things, and hung it on one of the branches. We want to hang it higher in the tree to encourage birds to occupy it, but we left it where it was when a wind gust came up and knocked over my mini-greenhouse up in the courtyard. We ran up there and cleaned up the mess in the courtyard. Amazingly, we did not lose any of the plants in the courtyard or in the greenhouse. 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.