Monday, June 28, 2010

Sweetness

 

It's time for the ripe saguaro cactus fruit to split open allowing birds to feast on the juicy pulp and dark seeds inside.






The desert looks and smells as if the saguaros are blooming all over again, this time in rich shades of red rather than white.


Red ripe saguaro fruits are a sign that the rainy season will begin soon.  Moisture is always welcome in the desert.

27 comments:

Tracy said...

Let's hear it for rain! I'm ready.

rainfield61 said...

It is very interesting to know the life of a cactus plant in a desert.

•°°• IcyBC •°°• said...

That is just gorgeous, Diane. The red color really stood out against the blue sky, and the green part of the cactus!

blog with no name said...

Hi Dianne!
Those blooms sure look yummy!

Barb said...

I'd love to see this faze of the blooming process. It looks as though the birds and animals will have a feast!

Unknown said...

The birds are going to have a feast.
have a great week Diane.
Costas

angryparsnip said...

Wonderful photos,

I was driving north Craycroft yesterday and it seemed every saguaro had a bird on top.

Your camera gets such nice close-ups. I just use a little point and click !
I can never get the top/close-ups you do.

cheers, parsnp

Sylvia K said...

Terrific captures as always, Diane! What a beautiful saguaro! Love the rich, vibrant colors! Have a great day!

Sylvia

Regina said...

Wow gorgeous and succulent.
Enjoy a lovely week Diane.

cieldequimper said...

You live surrounded by such beauty and show it so well!
Summer is rain season? I wouldn't have bet on that!

Julie said...

How gorgeous are these cactus in bloom! Are the colors this bright year round or just in the summer? I know my hibiscus are brighter and just more beautiful in general right now.
Happy Cactus Monday!

Costea Andrea Mihai said...

beautiful images! regards

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh Yum, Don't you how how much those birds love that cactus fruit???? They have to wait on it ALL year!!!!!! ha

I love Cactus blooms.
Hugs,
Betsy

DoanLegacy said...

That fruits look so good, and I don't blame the birds for feasting. Gorgeous photos.

eileeninmd said...

Cool looking cactus, the birds must be in heaven eating that fruit. Wonderful mosaic and photos!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

The fruits look like flowers. Besides birds, do humans eat them?

I watched in TV, an American chef was barbecuing a flat type of cacti.

Yesterday, I took some cacti fruit photo too.

The Retired One said...

Fantastic photos...so exotic looking!

Gaelyn said...

Oh that fruit looks so sweet. I try to beat the birds to at least a few.

Allison said...

Such vibrant red, Diane! I'm assuming that all the white bumps on the cactus are the flowers of years past. Is that correct? I never knew that!

Jeannette StG said...

Great pics of the blooms of this cactus!

Stephanie said...

How wonderful! The birds get to have a feast ;-) The fruit must be really sweet he he...

Tes said...

Oh wow, I did not know they can have both red and white flowers. Interesting -thanks for yet another tid bit of information, Diane! Love the photos, so vibrant! :)

Joanne Olivieri said...

I really love cactus for their uniqueness and these are very interesting. What gorgeous colors on the flowers. Thanks for the info too.

Clytie said...

It's been so long since I've seen a blooming cactus ... not many of THOSE here in Western Oregon!

I love seeing birds feeding on the cactus blooms. Brave little things, I think!

Susan Ellis said...

Such lushness in the desert...you've captured it really well!

Annie Jeffries said...

So beautiful. Very much like National Geographic's (of was it Disney?)The Living Desert from decades ago.

Lindy said...

What a colorful, juicy, abundant feast for the birds and insects!