Last Friday I had planned on hiking up to Seven Falls, but while driving to the Sabino Canyon Center, I decided to walk the trails near the center to photography the saguaro cactus in bloom.
While some saguaros may not yet have buds many do and are blooming daily. Now that most of the desert’s wildflowers have come and gone, these beautiful cactus blossoms are the current desert flower show.
These creamy-white, 3-inch-wide flowers with yellow centers usually bloom May and June. However, like most of the Sonoran Desert flowers this year, the blooming season has been much earlier.
Clustered near the ends of branches, the blossoms open during cooler desert nights, during which time the blossoms are visited by nectar-loving bats.
Each flower will bloom only once, closing by the next midday.
Before closing by midday the white-winged dove is a primary pollinator, along with the gila woodpecker and the gilded flicker.
Kenne
Related articles
- On The Wings Of The White Winged Dove (kenneturner.wordpress.com)
- Blooming at 70: an interview with a Giant Saguaro (kenneturner.wordpress.com)
Wow. What great photos and I was interested to learn this too…it must be wonderful to be in the presence of, and capture, these moments. Thank you for showing me and reminding me. I love the photo with the bee hovering over the flower. Great post. Thank you.
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Lovely, absolutely lovely. I have so enjoyed the photos you have shown us of the Giant Saguaros, and especially the blooms. I followed a link to a fellow who photographed the mutated saguaros from all over. That was very interesting. Just now I read Grace’s conversation with a Giant Saguaro. What a delight that was! I even learned a bit about myself reading that. (long story) So, thank you again, Keene, for the lovely fascinating windows into the wonderful environment you enjoy daily.
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