Pretty in (Multiple Shades of) Pink

I have been calling this cactus Echinocereus armatus for sometime now based on the long thin straight central spines, but the dark red in the center of the flowers indicates parentage perhaps from a different species.

Echinocereus fasciculatus - Strawberry Fruit

Echinocereus fasciculatus - Strawberry Fruit



My son was keen to give the edible fruit a try.  He had previously tried (several) Dragon Fruit smoothies on a recent trip to South East Asia.



Looks and tastes like the larger Dragon Fruits that are becoming more popular in grocery stores.  A mildly sweet white meat with a seedy crunch like a strawberry.



Another edible in the cactus garden, Portulaca oleracea, Purslane, eaten as part of salads in the Middle East, Greece, and India.  Has a mild tart flavor that was apparently loved by Gandhi and it even appears as a food in some translations of the Bible.

Ice Plant blooming happily in Spring, the heat of a Texas summer will prove too much for this plant.