Saturday, June 28, 2008

Cactus Flowers

Cactus greens, yellows, purples, oranges, reds ...

Near the end of our stay in Big Bend NP, the cacti were starting to bloom. Here are some of my photos.

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/22/2008Blind Prickly Pear buds

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/17/2008Blind Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/22/2008Blind Prickly Pear flower turn orange with age

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear buds

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear, spines are 4 inches long

Photo taken at Big Bend Ranch SP, TX on 3/27/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend Ranch SP, TX on 3/27/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/17/2008Rainbow species

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Hedgehog species

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Christmas Cholla with red fruit

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/24/2008Cane Cholla with yellow fruit

Photo taken at Lake Amistad NRA, TX on 3/30/2008Engelmann's Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Lake Amistad NRA, TX on 3/30/2008Engelmann's Prickly Pear

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Friday, June 20, 2008

Cactus Green

Cactus greens, purples, yellows...

Of course there are lots of cacti growing in the Chihuanhuan Desert of Big Bend NP. I was surprised at the colors of the plant and at the number of different species, more than in any other park. On top of that, the various species of prickly pear cacti hybridize with each other, so you sometimes can't tell at which species you are looking. So, in general, I have identified the following photos with my best guesses.

Cactus grow every where, where it can get a foothold. It needs some soil and some moisture, and it doesn't have to be very much.

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/19/2008Chisos Mountains from Dugout Wells
with Engelmann's Prickly Pear in front

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Blind Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Blind Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/19/2008Blind Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/17/2008Pitaya or Hedgehog cactus

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/19/2008Pitaya or Hedgehog cactus

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Spiny-fruited Prickly Pear 75 feet up

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Spiny-fruited Prickly Pear found only in Big Bend NP

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/22/2008Spiny-fruited Prickly Pear in the setting sun

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Purple-tinged Prickly Pear, spines are up to 4 inches long.
I measured it!

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/18/2008Engelmann's Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Engelmann's Prickly Pear

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/19/2008Pineapple species

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/21/2008Prickly Pear with yellow spines in Chisos Basin


None of these photos show the cactus in bloom. When we arrived in Big Bend NP, it was too early but near the end of our 2 week stay, some cacti were blooming. See next blog.


The references and gear I used for this blog are:
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon EF100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM
Camera: Canon EOS 10D
Lens: Canon EF28-105mm F/3.5-4.5 II USM
Steiner 10x42 Predator Binoculars
Peterson Field Guides: Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Native Plants of South Texas

Monday, June 16, 2008

The First Green 2

Last blog, I also mentioned two other evergreen plants: sotol and century plants. I found these green plants be fascinating.

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Sotol from Sotal Vista

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008Sotol leaves

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/20/2008The dried flower stalks were used as building materials and,
today, as walking sticks.

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/21/2008Close-up of dried sotol flower

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/25/2008Century Plant is the largest Agave species in Big Bend NP.
It blooms once in 20-50 years with bright yellow flowers in and then dies.

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/25/2008The leaves are not really green but rather a blue-gray color.
The hearts of the plant were baked, dried and stored as winter food
by the Native Americans.

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/21/2008Dried stalks can be over 30 feet tall

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/21/2008Close-up of dried century flower

Photo taken at Big Bend NP, TX on 3/21/2008Dried dead plant