They begin to close up as evening falls.
They are fecund.
And then the sun comes out, and one by one
they begin to open, exposing the pollen in all its glorious stickiness.
You can see it in the blossom lower left above.
and all over below.
These are very unfriendly plants. Even the javelinas don't eat them.
Those curved spines are very sharp and very strong.
After all, their job is to protect beauty in the desert.
I'd say they are doing a very good job.
The first time I heard someone describe the desert as beautiful I was actually confused. Since then I have had the opportunity to travel and I fell in love with the beauty of a desert landscape.
ReplyDeleteWe had the same reaction. I still lust for greenery, but the colors against the bland background are stunning
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Oh, those are so cool!
ReplyDeleteI see the beauty in the desert too. I have enjoyed the times I have spent in the desert, especially during blooming times. It's such a contrast to our PNW flora.
Cool is exactly the right description!
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