Count Quincey's Cacti!!

In contrast to my last post about the lush greenery of home in Alberta, this post is about sun bleached cacti...we won't pay any attention to the absolutely gorgeous blossoming bushes that are all over the place here - stunning oranges, reds, fuscias, yellows.  Arizona in June is a rainbow!

Anyway, whenever SIL Quincey comes to town he goes to town with the landscaping.  We never know what to expect when our visit down here comes after he and Sara have been and gone.  This time was no exception.  Our yard is becoming it's own desert botanical garden.  Just look---

I don't know if this stick tree is officially  cactus or not but it is definitely a desert plant.  Did you know that a plant can't be classified as a cactus unless it produces flowers.  I did not know that.

Stick Tree - these are really beautiful when they open up and turn green.`

 Again, I don't know if a Joshua tree is a cactus but we'll pretend it is.  We have two of these interesting looking plants in the back yard.  That's a saguaro behind it.

Joshua Tree

This is one of our three saguaros.  Those are blossoms growing around the top of the cactus.  I hope they open up while we're still here.

Saguaro with blossoms

 This is an Argentine Giant.  I'm told it'll spread to six feet in diameter and produce bright red flowers.

Argentine Giant

 I have no idea what this one is called - couldn't find it in my cactus book.  It looks kind of like a Christmas tree with round knobs all over it.

Who Knows???  He's in our front yard.

 This poor little prickly pear is on it's last legs I think.  Looks like it gets too much water.

Prickly Pear

 The two-armed bandit in our front yard - saguaro with blossoms around the top and in the 'v' of the arms.

Second saguaro

 This toothpick cactus has tripled in size since we planted it two years ago.  It's needles are nearly three inches long, and sharp!

Toothpick Cactus

One of many types of barrel cactus - we have three of these beauties

Barrel Cactus

 Another no-name - it's a new one Quincey planted in January

Quincey's cactus

 This one looks like a type of prickly pear - much healthier than the one shown previously.

Prickly pear with bunny ears, or Mickey Mouse ears

Mouse or Bunny???

 I don't know what this new one is called either, but it looks like a Daddy, Mommy and Baby cactus family.

Cactus family

 I think this one might be a form of pipe organ cactus or a senita.  Don't quote me on that though.

Pipe Organ?

 And this is a close up of the blossom about to open on the pipe organ. 

And this is the front yard where a lot of the cacti live.  More in the back.

So, did you count the cactus?  I think there are 17, but I could be off by two or three.  They are very interesting plants, maybe because they seem exotic to us northerners.  I love to see them blossom.