Opuntia santa-rita

This is one of the prettiest and common in culture Opuntias, but of cause not on windowsill. The name comes from the mountain ridge just South-East of Tucson, AZ, where it can be found on surrounding sandy flats. The plants form low bushes, largest specimens about 5 ft - over 1.5 meters tall.

Mammillaria thornberi

Mammillaria thornberi is a well known in cultivation smaller Mammillaria with nice larger white flowers. It is mainly Mexican species, occurring in USA along the southern Arizona border. This picture is taken near Tucson where it grows on very sandy soils, in the shade of small trees and bushes.

Echinocereus nicholii

Echinocereus nicholii is clkosely relate to E.engelmannii but easily recognized in Organ Pipe NP where it grows alongside with it. This plant is better responding to conventional in culture than E.engelmannii, as it is a true Sonora desert plant with growth period depending on summer monsoon rains.

Stenocereus thurberi

Organ pipe cactus in Organ Pipe National Park

Echinocereus engelmannii

A huge plant growing in Anza-Borrego State Park. This form looks somewhat different from common E. engelmannii, but the differences are hard to describe and likely not worth recognition in nomenclature.

Mammillaria dioica

Mammillaria dioica is very common sight in Anza-Borrego state park. This small group is littered with dead ocotillo lives and flowers.

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Flowering in Joshua Tree NP.

Cylindropuntia bigelowii

Teddy bear cholla is one of the more interesting looking chollas that you better keep you distance from. It is one of the most hostile cacti ever. Flowers are among the prettiest though.

Opuntia chlorotica

Opuntia chlorotica is one of the prettier Opuntias, forming low bush or a small tree. Bluish pads with bright yellow spines make a nice contrast. The picture is also from Joshua Tree NP.

Echinocereus engelmannii

'King of the West' Echinocereus engelmannii in Joshua Tree NP.

Escobaria alversonii

Here is the smaller specimen of this nice Escobaria in Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree Park is a good place to see this species - it is fairly common if you are in the right area.. The flowering time is late May or June.

Opuntia basilaris

Large plant growing in Joshua Tree national park. Large plants produce tens of blooms, but flowering is spread over longer period, with only a few flowers open at time. As with most Opuntias, flowers open for two days, closing for the nights.

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Ferocacti in Anza-Borrego are very variable in size, spines color and length. That usually points to some recent hybridization that happened to this population.

Mammillaria tetrancistra

Anza-Borrego California State park

Sclerocactus blainei

It was a cold day at the end of April, with temperatures just above freezing and snow that fell overnight on the hills above. The  flowers on that young plant only starting to show mature spination stayed closed.

Echinomastus johnsonii

Several years old seedling near Death Valley shows new growth.

Echinocereus sheerii

The form of E.sheerii with very large flower. Very similar flowers has plant known in cultivation as E. polyacanthus 'densus'. Possibly my plants are a smaller form of it.