Flora / Fauna, Joshua Tree National Park

Favorite thing: The purplish-red, tubular flowers of the Silver torch cactus are borne along the length of the body in the spring. The Silver torch cactus is one of the cactus that are popular and often grown for its flowers. There are several cultivation varieties.

Favorite thing: Silver torch cactus, Cleistocactus strausii, is a beautiful, quick-growing species whose stems can reach a height of 10 feet with a diameter of 21/2 inches. The silver torch cactus is clothed in pretty silver spines. It grows singly when young, clumping when mature.

Favorite thing: Buckhorn Cholla, Opuntia acanthocarpa is now named Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa This light green cholla, also called silver cholla, is widespread in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah. It grows naturally in dry, rocky desert slopes at elevations between 500 and 4,000 feet. The spine sheaths are inconspicuous and light colored. It can grow to a height of 3-10 feet.

Favorite thing: The fruits are egg-shaped, yellow to red, up to 1 inch long. As most fruits of Opuntia cactus, they are edible once the spines have been removed or the skin peeled out. The flavor ranges from sour to sweet

Favorite thing: This photo shows a close-up on the spines of the Teddy Bear cactus. They are barbed spines that are very sharp and brittle, and very easily detached. This is why they "jump" on you when you get too close ! Pay attention !

Favorite thing: This photo shows buds of Teddy Bear cactus. I do not know for sure if they are flower buds or new segments buds. I feel they are more likely to be flower buds. I should have come back a few weeks later to check but unfortunately could not !

Favorite thing: The Teddy Bear cactus grows naturally in dry, rocky desert slopes in the Sonoran Desert of western Arizona, southern Nevada and southeastern California between 100 and 5,000 feet of elevation. It can reach a height of 5 -9 feet.

Favorite thing: Said to resemble the fuzzy arms and legs of a Teddy Bear, it can be distinguished by its dense, straw-colored spines and yellow to green flowers. The flowers are not shown here as they seem to bloom later than the Beaver tail cactus and I have seen none.

Favorite thing: This distinctive cholla has a vertical trunk 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m) tall with densely-packed horizontal side branches on the upper foot (30 cm) or so. Older, lower side branches die and fall off. The joints are very densely spined, very little of the living surface can be seen through its armor. The spines are especially sharp and strongly-barbed. Young spines are yellow and become black with age.

Favorite thing: Beavertail cactus Opuntia basilaris is a very common cactus in Joshua Tree National Park. It grows naturally in dry, rocky desert slopes in the Mohave and Sonoran deserts of southeastern California, southwestern Utah and western Arizona. It is also well known as an indoor plant all over the world. Everybody that have once grown indoor plant has grown a Beavertail cactus, which means that it is easy to grow and requires little care. However, at home, Beavertail cactus seldom gives flowers. Only the wise indoor gardeners get them. They are splendid bright red flowers 2 to 3 inches wide with many petals and in the wild, in Joshua Tree National Park, in April, all plants were blooming (it blooms from March to June).