Jewel-like cactus flowers for Bloom Day

June 15, 2013


I’m discovering the joy of growing cactus, not just for the plants’ unique shapes and light-catching spines, but for their stunning flowers as well. Their flowering may be brief — generally just a day or two, so you don’t want to miss it — but what they lack in duration they make up for in beauty.


With oversized flowers, this cactus looks like it’s wearing a hat worthy of a royal wedding.


This week my misshapen little ball cactus bloomed too. Hey, do the flowers always match the coloring of the spines? I just noticed that.


It always amazes me that such prickly, inhospitable plants can produce such stunning flowers.


For Bloom Day, here are a couple of other scenes from my garden right now: ‘Colorado’ water lilies in bloom in the stock-tank pond…


…and purple coneflowers in bloom wherever their seeds have taken root.

For more Bloom Day posts, visit meme hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens. And remember, it’s Foliage Follow-Up tomorrow!

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By the way, if you follow me on Facebook (and if not, I hope you will), I have a new Facebook page for all my garden-related conversations called Pam Penick – Garden Chat & Author Page. Please “Like” my page to enjoy photos of beautiful gardens, get notifications of my blog posts and upcoming talks, and just hang out with me and talk plants! I hope to see you there!

Speaking of garden talks, I’ll be in San Antonio next Monday at noon to give a free talk at the San Antonio Garden Center about losing the lawn and gaining a waterwise landscape or beautiful garden. Lawn Gone! book-signing afterward. Please join me! P.S. If that’s during your work day, just bring a bag lunch and come on out.
Where: 3310 N. New Braunfels, San Antonio, TX (adjacent to the San Antonio Botanical Garden)
What: Essentials of Gardening class, hosted by the Gardening Volunteers of South Texas

All material © 2006-2013 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

12 responses to “Jewel-like cactus flowers for Bloom Day”

  1. Andrea says:

    Hi Pam, that pond focal point is spectacular, and your cactus flowers look like a prize. By the way, do cactus need some cold temperatures for them to bloom? I asked that because i haven’t seen flowering cactus here in the hot tropics. It doesn’t mean we don’t have cactus here, we have lots of them.

    Andrea, that’s a good question. I did a little digging around on the Web and found an article about growing cactus in the tropics in the Philippine Star. The author points out that North American species of cactus do generally like less humidity, warm days, and cooler nights. However, there are South American species that can tolerate higher humidity. I’m still not sure though why you wouldn’t see blooms on yours, since they sound healthy. Maybe you’re just missing the very short bloom cycle? —Pam

  2. Bernieh says:

    Beautiful blooms.

    Thanks, Bernieh. Happy Bloom Day! —Pam

  3. Jenny says:

    Our balloon cactus are blooming in unison. I think you are hooked!

    I think I may be, Jenny. —Pam

  4. ricki says:

    Mom Nature has great color sense.

    She sure does, Ricki. —Pam

  5. Greggo says:

    I spied some yellow cactus blooms similar to yours at a strip mall nearby. Hmmm.. may have to visit them at night aka. gorilla gardening.

    Small cacti are pretty inexpensive at the big box stores, Greggo. No need to resort to a life of horticultural crime. 🙂 —Pam

  6. Scott Weber says:

    As always, so jealous of that stock tank pond…and love those re-seeded Echinaceas 🙂

    Coneflowers are the best, aren’t they — so pretty and so easy to grow. —Pam

  7. There’s something so compelling about the contrast between the spiky, spiny bodies of cacti, and their silky fragile-looking flower petals. If I lived in a warmer, drier climate, I’d be growing lots of them!

    I do have to bring these in during freezes, Jane, but in Austin that’s usually only about 4 or 6 times a winter. —Pam

  8. Angie says:

    Popped over from May Dream Gardens.
    Cactus are fascinating plants. I’m not good at houseplants therefore am catci less!! I do enjoy looking at them though.
    What a feature your pond is – did you design this yourself?

    Thanks for visiting, Angie. Yes, the pond and sunburst path around it are the central feature of the back garden, which I designed and installed myself about 4 years ago. It’s still one of my favorite areas of the garden. —Pam

  9. Pam I love cactus flowers as they are not seen here. And that pond is stunning.

    Thanks, Donna. —Pam

  10. It’s amazing how bright and pretty the blooms on those prickly cacti are! I enjoyed the wider views, too. I love your area where the water garden is. I am working on a foliage follow up post, and came here to get your link. I’m not going to finish it until this evening, though.

    I’m glad you enjoyed the wide views, Sue. Thanks for stopping by. —Pam

  11. Lisa at Greenbow says:

    Beautiful cactus. I like the juxtaposition of the cactus and water lily. Happy GBBD.

    I always think of you when I post a cactus photo, Lisa. Glad you enjoyed these! —Pam

  12. I wish I could come hear you talk. I’ll have your copy of Oklahoma Gardener with me when I see you at Fling. I’m packing it in my suitcase to give. Thanks for your help on the lawn alternatives.~~Dee

    Thank you, Dee! I look forward to reading your article! And to Flinging with you again. 😉 —Pam