Winter Flowers

[cactuswatcher]

Here are the first blooms of this year

This is one I've had for several years now. It's about the size of a small cantaloupe The ring of flowers on top is typical this time of year.

Mammillaria hahniana

This is another kind of mammillaria that grows in branching fingers instead of solitary balls. The flowers are the same shape and size as those on the plant above. But the yellow color makes them harder to see even on the patio. The bowl is about 14" or 36cm across.

Mammillaria Elongata

This is a picture of my senna bush on the back wall about ten days ago. It's an Austrailian shrub that likes the desert here so well it scarcely needs extra water. The blooming had started but only toward the more sunny open side.

Senna Artemisiodes filifolia - Desert Senna

Here's my other Senna bush today. This one is up against the house. In the bottom left you can see one of my Mexican yuccas. Harder to see towards the bottom right is my jojoba. Both Sennas are flowering about the same today.

Desert Senna

Comments

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I see you guys are having a "cold snap".

; D

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

Brrr. LOL

[ann1962]

Those are beautiful. I love when you post these photos!

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting CW. I really like the patterning of the first (the MH.) Is February your usual time for blooms?

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

Basically we have two springs, February through early May and September through early November. Some things like my Cape Honeysuckle can bloom all winter, if the weather doesn't get too cold (it did this year). Some plants will bloom all summer if given enough water.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Thank you for these. There's something so other-worldly about cactus blooms, like something that should happen on another planet. The western planet, that would be.