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

April 4 - Claret Cup Craziness

Echinocereus triglochidiatus - Claret Cup Cactus - This Central Texas native may be my most favorite cactus of all.  Strikingly brilliant long lasting red blooms, cold hardy to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, tolerant of full sun, soil is optional actually it prefers to grow in cracks of rocks, several specimen can be seen blooming in late March on sheer cliff faces along Interstate 10 west of Sonora.  Sadly this plant is more well known and appreciated in France and Germany, few Texans have made note of its disappearing presence in rocky portions of the Texas Hill Country and parts further West.

April 3 - Question Mark Butterfly

Clematis jackmanii



Carolina Chickadee (top right)



Question Mark Butterfly (in dark "umbrosa" form, from umbrosum meaning: shadowy).  Many butterflies have an "evil" dark colored twin that represents an occasional variation of their usual color patterns.  Probably coming to see some of the native host plants (trees) in the area, Hackberry and Elm.  Many butterflies land on rocks in the garden to lick at salts and other minerals essential to their diet.  Why is this called a Question Mark you ask?  Butterflies that Punctuate: The Eastern Comma and the Question Mark

April 2 - Claret Cup Cactus