Looking Up at Blooms



Rebutia flavistyla

Chrysalis

Some butterflies over winter as a chrysalis and wait for spring warmth to eclose (emerge) as a butterfly.  I believe the chrysalis above is a Black Swallowtail.

Some New Bloom Colors

Trichocereus grandiflorus - from Lowes, I was looking for some new flower bloom colors.  This Torch cactus is readily available at any "Big Box" store for $5 to $10 and has giant flowers that can't be beat, but enjoy them quickly though, they last for only one day.



Rebutia flavistyla - Orange blooms are quite rare among cacti.



I like this picture, sort of has a candy shop of shapes and colors feel to it.

Texas Rain Bombs

Mammillaria heyderi - One of the pitfalls of growing cactus in Austin, Texas is the occasional "Rain Bomb".  Over the last three weeks I have recorded over 12 inches of rainfall at our house, filling the elevated cactus garden to overflowing and not giving the cactus adequate time to dry out.  Several cacti have turned to mush including this formerly handsome Mammillaria.

Echinocereus reichenbachii var. fitchii - from far South Texas