Still More Arizona Plants

I may as well tell you up front that I'll be spending most of the evening at work.  I just stopped home to see John, get dinner, check my email and, ahem, blog.  But John's not home yet.  I've finished my photo editing for the night, I'm hungry, and I really have a lot of work to do.  So I'm going to finish up my mini-series about plants in Arizona, and rush back to the office. 

Tomorrow is Weekend Assignment night.  I should be out of this mini-rut by then, if I can fit it in between an appointment with my trainer and still another evening at work!

Okay.  Cactus. 




This is a cactus, specifically a cholla.  These are particularly nasty to brush against.  Some kinds of cholla are called "jumping cholla" because people swear the thing jumped out at them - they were sure they weren't close enough to get "bit"!  There's also a small, cute variety called "teddy bear" cholla that's positively "furry" with needles.  But you wouldn't want to cuddle it.



Here are two more kinds of cactus, plus some succulants.  The three round things on the left are barrel cactus.  The yellow and red stuff on top is the fruit.  On the right, of course, is prickly pear cactus.  All but about four states have some kind of prickly pear somewhere, but they're particularly common here.

A prickly pear fruit is called a "tuna," of all things.  It's made into jelly, candy and sauces, but not by me.  I've never even tasted the stuff.



This is an aloe or agave or something.  I don't know much about these, but they're definitely desert plants.  I'm the only person I know who is probably allergic to Aloe Vera.

This photo reminds me of the nasty spaceships of the Shadows on Babylon 5.  I can't decide whether this plant looks cute or sinister here.



This is the agave plant that has made me bleed at least three times on my way into the office - including this morning.  Bad, nasty, wicked plant!



This is neither a cactus nor a succulant.  It's an ocotillo.  When the weather has been dry, it's basically a spray of tall, thorny sticks.  When it's been raining a lot, it gets green and leafy, and sometimes has red flowers at the top.

Oh, and this?  This is a rerun.  It's a saguaro on Mount Lemmon, March 13th, 2005.

Tomorrow: New Adventure.

Karen