The Beautiful Flowers of Cacti

It never ceases to amaze me each year when different species of cacti suddenly transform themselves by putting on a truly stunning display of flowers.

I know, I know.  Prickly cacti are probably the last place that you would look for a beautiful floral display.  But, believe it or not, cacti flowers are truly impressive.

Most cacti begin to form large flower buds in early spring.

It is almost magical, just watching each flower begin to unfurl to reveal their vibrant colors.

Cactus flowers come in many different colors.  Some yellow, pink, red and white.

By late spring, most cacti are in full-bloom, proudly showing off their beautiful flowers.

There are some exceptions though.  Saguaro flowers begin to appear in May and into June.  They are fertilized by moths and birds.  Juicy, red fruit appears in the summer, which the birds feed upon.  The Saguaro flower is the state flower of Arizona.

Most cacti bloom only once a year.  But the little Fishhook cactus blooms repeatedly throughout the summer months in response to rain.  Rings of pink flowers appear on my Fishhook cactus (above) over and over all summer long.

So the next time you see a prickly cactus, don’t dismiss it as a rather boring plant.  Instead, imagine how beautiful it looks for a few months out of the year when it is covered with flowers.

Have you ever seen a cactus in flower?  What color were the flowers and where did you see them?  Please share with us 🙂