15 Beautiful Pictures of Cactus Flowers

Courtesy Deborah Saldana

Orange Cactus Flowers

“We have so many beautiful blooms in the high desert. I just loved the color of these beautiful orange flowers. These cactus flowers just don’t last long enough, but luckily, I had my camera with me. The desert can be very colorful,” says Deborah Saldana. Follow these expert tips for growing a drought tolerant garden.

Christmas Cactus and Butterfly

“This zebra longwing enjoyed a sugary snack on a Christmas cactus bloom on my deck,” says Vicki Sarris. Discover more drought tolerant succulents to grow.

A Special Flower

“This is a special plant that I broke off from its parent potted plant when we lived in Tucson, Arizona, 20 years ago. I moved it with me to the coast of Texas, where it is now 18 years old. The reason it’s so special is that it blooms each and every year with large blossoms, and several flowers! I look forward to every season,” says Carol Neel.

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Yellow Cactus Flowers

“I noticed some cacti blooming when I was at the Kansas City Zoo. I loved the color of the blooms as well as the contrast between the sharp thorns and the delicate yellow flowers,” says Becka Phillips.

Check out these adorable cactus gifts for cactus lovers.

Barrel Cactus and Bee

“This is a photo of barrel cactus blossoms. The ‘bee-bum’ is, apparently, the result of the best pollen being at the bottom,” says Jamie Stone.

Did you know—drought-tolerant agave plant grows well in containers.

Saguaro Cactus Flowers

“Saguaro cactus blooms in the spring in southeastern Arizona. The flowers attract a variety of birds, bats, and insects,” says Diane Liguori. Check out these  flowering drought-tolerant ground cover plants.

Brief but Beautiful

“Last April, I was walking in my neighborhood when I noticed these stunning flowers on a prickly pear cactus in someone’s side yard. The cactus was surrounded by large weeds, so I did my best to keep those out of my picture. Unfortunately, these cactus flowers only appear for one day each year. I took this photo because it shows the elusive blooms in three stages of opening to the southern California sun. Plus, it captures the unusual purple and lavender colors in the cactus pods,” says Carolyn Bolz.

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Night-Blooming Cactus

“My neighbor in San Dimas, California, excitedly shared this beautiful night-blooming Cereus cactus with me early one morning this summer. She knows I share her love for flowers and photographing them. This bloom was spectacular!” says Barbara Case.

Psst—these pictures of beautiful flowers will inspire your dream garden.

Argentine Giant Cactus

“Spring is the time of year that the cacti bloom here in Arizona. This night-blooming Argentine giant taken in Fountain Hills, is pretty rare. The great majority of this species are normally white. I was very lucky that this one caught my eye early one morning as I was on my way to the store. They only stay open for about six hours and start to die by late morning, so I quickly went home, grabbed my camera and got the shot I wanted!” says Spencer Fairbanks.

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White Cactus Flowers

“I took this photo in my backyard. It is a cactus flower, and it only opens at night,” says John Fiorentino Jr. Discover 11 succulents that will attract pollinators.

Botanical Garden Beauty

“While visiting in Phoenix, Arizona, we went to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens. They are quite impressive, with an extensive butterfly garden and countless blooms outside in the desert. I expected a desert to be barren of beauty, but look at the perfection of this cactus flower. There seems to be beauty everywhere if you know how to see it,” says Dennis Faust.

Drought-tolerant butterfly vine is another plant that loves the heat.

Queen of the Night Cactus

“On the back lanai near the pool is my ‘Queen of the Night’ epiphyllum oxypetalum cactus plant. During the summer months, two or three times a year, this very pretty and amazingly fragrant flower blooms. One very unique thing about the flower is that it only blooms at night, and it only lasts the night it blooms. Over the past couple of years I have stayed up to watch this event, capturing photos and trying to get the perfect time lapse from start to finish. This time lapse still eludes me, as the lighting must be spot on. I’ll keep trying, and most of all admiring, this magnificent queen in all her glory,” says Luke George.

An Unexpected Beauty

“As I was walking through the Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona, this pincushion cactus flower caught my eye. It was early spring, and I was looking for birds that visit the gardens. This beautiful pink flower was mesmerizing, and I had a difficult time leaving it. I love all cacti flowers in bloom, but this one topped them all that day,” says Anna Smith. For more garden ideas, check out the top 15 drought-tolerant plants.

Perfect Timing

“This is a cereus night-blooming cactus flower, taken this summer in my front yard in Port Charlotte, Florida. My girlfriend had noticed the buds progressing and told me she expected them to bloom that evening. She was right!” says John Carney.

Hummingbirds love drought-tolerant penstemon flowers.

Torch Cactus Flowers

“After owning and enjoying cactus and succulent varieties in containers for many years, we built a permanent garden for them in a southwest-facing, open area of our backyard. We transferred many of the plants to the garden and have slowly added new ones each year. Many of them produce dependable, frequent blooms at various times from early spring through fall. One of our favorites is the torch cactus bloom. It blooms several times each season and the colors vary from yellows to oranges to reds, with an iridescent shimmer connecting the wide range,” says Dwayne Mann.

Next, discover 6 flowering full sun desert plants to grow.