Sunday, July 4, 2010

Prickly Pear/ Today's Flowers

Prickly Pear blossom (Opuntia polyacantha)

Although this prickly pear grows in my scree garden (a flower bed made of sand, pebbles, rocks and a little soil), prickly pears (Opuntia humifusa) also grow wild in southern Ontario. It is however a rare plant here, growing wild only at Point Pelee and on Pelee Island on Lake Erie. 

If you love flowers -- and who doesn't - check out Today's Flowers at http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

35 comments:

B SQUARED said...

A nice macro!

eileeninmd said...

Gorgeous flowers and an awesome photo!

Kathy said...

I would have never dreamed you had prickly pears in your area. This one certainly has a beautiful flower.

Leif Hagen said...

A lovely flower, prickly or not!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

I've never seen a prickly pear bloom up close like this - its so pretty.

Rosie from Centre of Interest photoblog

Small City Scenes said...

Supershot EG. Lovely flower.
I have a Opuntia (I don't know which one) in my garden too--the lawn mower clipped it but it just grows new ears. It has never bloomed.
Opuntia fragilis grows in dry areas in Eastern Washington. MB

Carletta said...

A lovely macro shot!
A scree garden - sounds interesting.

(Carletta's Captures)

Barbara said...

Gourgous...I just love the color combination of this flower. Great capture

April said...

This is such a pretty and exotic looking wildflower - what else are you growing in your scree garden?

Carver said...

What a beautiful flower. It pops out of the screen.

Judy said...

Beautiful picture. I didn't know they would grow in your area! It seems I learn something new every day.

Digital Flower Pictures said...

I think Cactus can sometimes take more cold than it is given credit for. It does get cold in the desert at night especially at elevation.

We have a little patch of PP here in Connecticut and it has lasted 25 winters and is always a novelty when it flowers.

George said...

This is a great macro of a very beautiful flower.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Beautiful and I loved learning about the scree garden! Our kids in Colorado do xeriscaping for their yard -- using little or no water -- but I'd never heard the term "scree garden" before.

I too am really surprised that prickly pear grows that far North.

Jan said...

This is a beautiful capture. I love it!

lazyclick said...

Beautiful flower. Lovely colors.

Leslie D. said...

Flowers seems miraculous to me. The structure, the colors, amazing!

Hanne said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

I like how the sun hits the stamen of the flowers and creates a small shadow.

Have a great Sunday!

Anonymous said...

Lovely Prickly Pear flower and great picture!!
Thank for visiting.
Hope you can buy a pink Annabelle.
I searched for quite a while before I found the new plant:)
- Cheers Gisela.

Eng said...

it maybe prickly but it is lovely. i love the warm yellow color and the darker shades in the center. they compliment each other very well!

thank you for your time and kind comment. it isn't everyday that people dropped by my blog and find a way to say their appreciation, you are one of the very few...thank you!

eng of poetic murmurings

Marilyn said...

Thanks for stopping in to see my flowers. We have lots of cactus in the pastures and prairie around here that bloom in both pink and yellow. After a wet spring they are gorgeous, but you must catch them at the right time! ♥♫

Xavi said...

I know well the Opuntias, fantastic photo!
Thanks for stopping by.

Joy said...

This definitely brightens my day. A very lovely flower - and yes, I love them all.

Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and leaving your comment. Come visit again. Here's to a great week ahead!

Laerte Pupo said...

Beautiful post, and I like the macros photos.

Lowell said...

Pears I like, except I've learned not to eat the prickly ones. Such a gorgeous photo, EG. I thought these grew only in the southern climes, though. So, I've learned something else on your blog! :-)

Al said...

Oh wow! So that's how it's called, we have them in garden last summer!

Lina Gustina said...

Perfect close-up...
Thanks for visiting :)

Indrani said...

Wow! So beautiful.
Lovely bright color.

Mrs. M said...

Our first time to see this beautiful flower.

Thank you for visiting Zoe's World.

eden said...

Beautiful flowers. Great shot. We have prickly pear that grows across the road and it is very big now.

Thank for the visit

Mª Zélia said...

Que bela foto para nos apresentar esta exótica flor! Os cactos nos surpeendem pela sua adptação ao ambiente... Linda demonstração de carinho que a natureza nos dá em forma de flor.
Um grande abraço!

Mª Zélia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Andree said...

Those are beautiful. I have heard of them, of course, but never saw one. I assumed they were a desert plant. Do they have edible fruit?

Rose said...

Beautiful...it has been years since I seen this in real life.

Arija said...

A stunning flower and so very different from our prickly pear flowers here.

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.