Desert Botanical Garden, Part 3
Looking outside this morning, I spotted the monsoon clouds off in the distance. Maybe some rain today and, if so, the blowing dust and wind which are hallmarks of this time of year in the desert. But back in April, it was clear, beautiful and warm, but not hot — perfect for viewing a Cow's Horn Agave. I'm not sure where it got its name but it's fun to look at but not to touch — those spines at the end of its leaves are big and sharp.
Some plants just grab your attention — such as this Firecracker Penstemon with its brightly colored, elongated flowers. It is native to the desert, blooms winter through spring and attracts hummingbirds. That's a winner.
Lantana is native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but has been spread to other areas such as Arizona and Hawai‘i.
According to Wikipedia, "Lantana's aromatic flower clusters (called umbels) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets. Other colors exist as new varieties are being selected. The flowers typically change color as they mature, resulting in inflorescences that are two- or three-colored."
Next along the wildflower path is a grouping of Santa Barbara Daisies, AKA Mexican Fleabane and Spanish Daisy. It is native to Mexico and Central America but is happy to grow in many other places.
I believe this is a stand of Desert Sunflowers. They are native to Arizona, Utah, California and Nevada. The flowers attract bees and birds — the seeds are eaten by birds and rodents.
Among the wildflowers, I spotted another Red Prickly Pear cactus just opening its blossoms. It is interesting how the buds start out red then the yellow flower pops out.
Here we see a Compass Barrel cactus with a couple flowers in bloom. This cactus gets its name from two features of the plant. First, it contains photo-sensitive cells which cause the plant to lean to the south. Also, it efficiently stores water in its interior flesh. Someone stranded in the desert can cut open the plant and drink the water inside although it may be quite bitter — but better than dying of thirst.
This looks to be Dunes Sunflower but I don't care what it is called — it forms a beautiful picture with the Saguaro cactus in the background.
Wow, another striking blossom on a Prickly Pear cactus.
Spring in the desert — this is the very symbol of that time of year.
