Flowering Prickly Pear

Jewel of the Lowland Cacti

May of 2012 the temperatures have been so warm, creating a profusion of blooms with the Prickly Pear Cactus.  The Prickly Pear or Opuntia is a member of the Cactaceae family.  It is the most cold-tolerant and wide spread of the lowland cacti, with the genus name derived from the ancient Greek city of Opus.

Growing in dense clusters, the flower blooms from the tip of the cactus nodule, which will ripen into a delicious red fruit called "tuna".  Care must be taken to harvest the fruit because the Prickly Pear has two defense systems: long sharp spines and smaller hair like projections, "glochids” which stick to anything that comes near.

The beautiful two inch, 5 cm, flowers of the Prickly Pear  are short lived and only last for one day.

For more information on the Prickly Pear:
http://www.desertusa.com/magoct97/oct_pear.htmlhttp://www.desertusa.com/magoct97/oct_pear.html

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

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Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

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 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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