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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Stuff's a-Bloomin'

Claret Cup Cactus
After this past February's bitter cold snap--the most frigid temperatures I can remember in the Chihuahuan Desert--it's wonderful to see plants beginning their yearly spring ritual:  blossoming for reproduction.  The Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus is one of the earliest and most beautiful of bloomers.  And soon the flowers of the Ocotillo will be blazing on the tips of the Buggy Whips.
Stamens sprouting

Tres hermanas

A Claret Cup flower

Buds forming on an Ocotillo (aka "Buggy Whip")

1 comment:

Dr. K said...

Beautiful photos of the claret cup cacti.

Abbreviated Outing

Cold hedgehog 37F with a windchill of 30F when we started off this morning; but the cold, powerful wind convinced us immediately that we wou...