Desert is blooming!

[DaveNV]

So, Dave, in the second picture, is that the spent flower, all closed back up laying on the rocks?

Yes, When I touched it, it broke off in my hands. I laid it on the ground, so it could dry in the sun. The placement is about where it would have fallen on its own. And this afternoon the two growing buds seem even larger than they were tis morning when I took these pictures. These flower buds tend to grow pretty fast.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

New to see:

@mentalbreak had asked about a time lapse for the flower growth. I don't have the ability to do that, but I've been tracking the growth of these new flower buds. This is where we are as of this afternoon:

This is the cactus as it appeared last Summer. If it flowered last year, any trace was long gone before we found this house. This was in August:

Here's a close up of the top of the cactus last Summer. Notice there is no sign of flower buds on the top:

This is the new flower buds a week ago. You can see the furry little buds hiding behind the base of the big flower bud that bloomed that week. They look to be about one inch tall at that point.

This is the picture I posted two days ago. Obvious bud growth was happening.

Since Friday things have really started to grow. This was yesterday:

And this is today, Sunday. One week since the third picture above was taken. What a difference a week makes! The buds have grown from maybe one inch high to about 3 and a half inches high now. The tips are turning bright red, and are getting more pointed. Since the cactus is putting out two flowers instead of only one, I don't know if these new buds will be as large as the first one. It was about eight inches long when it opened, and the flower it produced was about eight inches across. We'll see what these two become.

I'll keep tracking this, and post an update as there is something more to show. Mother nature is pretty amazing.

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

Very cool, Dave. I had no idea the blooms grew so fast.

 

[DaveNV]

Very cool, Dave. I had no idea the blooms grew so fast.

It's pretty impressive. But it's also been pretty hot here this week, so I think if they want to bloom, they need to get on with the program. No lollygagging.

Dave

 

[mentalbreak]

Photos 4 and 5 look like a happy little cactus guy with a furry mustache!

love seeing the progression!

 

[DaveNV]

Photos 4 and 5 look like a happy little cactus guy with a furry mustache!

love seeing the progression!

With a big bow in his hair?

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Three days later since the last picture above, and things are getting closer to opening. The tip on the larger bud is getting a lighter pink-ish color. That's because the petals are white, under the outer red covering. The longer bud is approaching 7" long now, about three inches longer since Sunday. The left bud is shorter, so has some more growing to do. It may open after the larger one is done. This is a fascinating process.

Looks like rabbit ears.

Dave

 

[pedro47]

DaveNV, the blooming is caused by the dry heat In Nevada.

 

[DaveNV]

DaveNV, the blooming is caused by the dry heat In Nevada.

I'm sure it is. They say this cactus blooms in April and May here, and so far, it's right on schedule. It's been interesting watching the plants in my yard over the course of the months we've been here. Things that seemed lifeless and dead last Summer started developing leaves in the Fall, filled out in Winter, and now have flowers in Spring. I'm sure by Summer they'll be dry and dead-looking again. Quite a life cycle.

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

So, Dave, are there any wild cacti in bloom out in the surrounding desert?

 

[SmithOp]

Not to be outdone, the orchids and cacti are blooming in CA.

 

[DaveNV]

So, Dave, are there any wild cacti in bloom out in the surrounding desert?

There are some, but hard to see detail from the freeway. There is a flat-sided (my words) cactus I see along roadways that is blooming right now. And the pads have turned a very purple-red shade. From Google: "Also known as violet prickly pear, Santa Rita prickly pear displays pads of rich purple or reddish pink. Watch for yellow or red flowers in spring, followed by red fruit in summer."

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Not to be outdone, the orchids and cacti are blooming in CA.

I wish we could have orchids and other live plants in the house here. But alas, we have A CAT. Not just any cat, ya unnerstand. This is the PLANT KILLING CAT FROM HELL. Kai is a sweetheart of a feline, but he's a Great White Shark when it comes to being a killing and eating machine. The only plants we have that he hasn't destroyed are artificial ones. So we make do.

Dave

 

[clifffaith]

There are some, but hard to see detail from the freeway. There is a flat-sided (my words) cactus I see along roadways that is blooming right now. And the pads have turned a very purple-red shade. From Google: "Also known as violet prickly pear, Santa Rita prickly pear displays pads of rich purple or reddish pink. Watch for yellow or red flowers in spring, followed by red fruit in summer."

View attachment 35268

Dave

Ooh, how pretty! We don't have the purple ones around here. In fact I hardly notice them until I see someone has climbed up a hillside to pick the fruit. I usually get a prickly pear margarita when we visit Sedona, and always wonder how much actual prickly pear is in the flavoring they use.

 

[clifffaith]

I wish we could have orchids and other live plants in the house here. But alas, we have A CAT. Not just any cat, ya unnerstand. This is the PLANT KILLING CAT FROM HELL. Kai is a sweetheart of a feline, but he's a Great White Shark when it comes to being a killing and eating machine. The only plants we have that he hasn't destroyed are artificial ones. So we make do.

View attachment 35269

Dave

Just as well no inside plants -- the list of plants poisonous to cats is a mile long!

 

[DaveNV]

Ooh, how pretty! We don't have the purple ones around here. In fact I hardly notice them until I see someone has climbed up a hillside to pick the fruit. I usually get a prickly pear margarita when we visit Sedona, and always wonder how much actual prickly pear is in the flavoring they use.

They sell prickly pear pads in the grocery stores here. I'm told they make interesting taco filling.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Just as well no inside plants -- the list of plants poisonous to cats is a mile long!

Oh, I'm sure there are. And I'm busy enough trying to sort out the outdoor plants here.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Ok! The flower has opened! It started late this morning, continued throughout the afternoon, and completed just after dark. This series of pictures show the process, and the final product, as of just after dark this evening. Not quite as big as the last flower, but still very impressive. The flower measures just over 6 inches across.

Eleven pictures follow, split into several posts. Here's 1 of 3:

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

2 of 3:

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

3 of 3:

I'll check in the morning, and post anything new, or changes to the flower. I expect it'll start dying by mid-day tomorrow.

What do you think of this flower process? I think Mother Nature is remarkable!

Dave

 

[clifffaith]

They sell prickly pear pads in the grocery stores here. I'm told they make interesting taco filling.

Dave

We went to Mexican dinner Diàmond put on in Sedona and they served fried cactus fries, I believe from the cactus pads.

 

[Passepartout]

Fabuloso, Dave! They bloom at night (is what Paula said) Gorgeous!

 

[VacationForever]

I wish we could have orchids and other live plants in the house here. But alas, we have A CAT. Not just any cat, ya unnerstand. This is the PLANT KILLING CAT FROM HELL. Kai is a sweetheart of a feline, but he's a Great White Shark when it comes to being a killing and eating machine. The only plants we have that he hasn't destroyed are artificial ones. So we make do.

View attachment 35269

Dave

Kai is an absolute sweetheart! I bet he is always forgiven.

 

[DaveNV]

Kai is an absolute sweetheart! I bet he is always forgiven.

He wouldn't have it any other way. And how can you resist that face? But then, we also now have no live plants in the house. Two can play his game.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

And in completely expected news: The last cactus flower bud opened yesterday and into last night. The larger one that opened the day before wilted right on schedule yesterday, just about as the third one decided it was time to open. I was hoping they'd both be open and viable at the same time, but it didn't happen. So these are the last images I'll be posting, unless something new develops.

This has been a fascinating process to watch and enjoy. Now that I know what to look for, I'll be ready next year.

Thanks for following along!

Dave