Some Of My Favorite Cactus!

      I like cactus and different ones for different reasons!  Here are a few from my collection.

Gymnocalycium horstii 

     I like the smooth surface of this Gymnocalycium horstii and how it contrasts with the large spines!  This plant is about five inches in diameter.

Gymnocalycium Pflanzii v.marquezii

     This Gymnocalycium Pflanzii v.marquezii has a very rough texture, like fine sandpaper.  This plant is also about five inches in diameter.

Mammillaria elongata Copper King

     This Mammillaria elongata(AKA Copper King), in a six inch pot has been easy to grow.  I've had over five years and it has doubled the number of finger-like stems.  Below is a close-up photo showing the coppery spines.  They grow radial fashion and are less likely to poke you!

Mammillaria elongata AKA Copper King

Mammillaria plumosa AKA Feather Cactus 

     The spines on this mammillaria plumosa (AKA Feather Cactus) also has spines that grow in a radial pattern.  The spines are very soft and hence the name Feather Cactus.  Below is a close-up of the feather like spines ad blooms.

mammillaria plumosa AKA Feather Cactus 

Mammillaria gracilis fragilis AKA Thimble Cactus 

     I've had this Mammillaria gracilis fragilis AKA Thimble Cactus for over ten years.  It was a small scraggly plant on the freebie table at a plant show.  I thought it was interesting because of the cylindrical shape of the stems and combination of small radial spines and bigger outward pointing spines.  The cylindrical or thimble shaped stems easily breakoff and root into a new plant.  This is the type of plant I avoid bumping into as you can see in this close-up photo!

Mammillaria gracilis fragilis AKA Thimble Cactus

 

Matucan madisoniorum 

     Here is another cactus that I have had for a very long time, Matucan madisoniorum.  This stem is now ten inches tall with a rough surface and it produces a few long spines.  I think the orange-red flowers "shoot out" from the top like fanfare trumpets!

Fuchsia Bloom and Seed Pod

 

Fuchsia

     This fuchsia bloom caught my eye and then I noticed the seed pod.  It looks like a small grape!

Fuchsia seed pod

Fuchsia blooms and seed pod

It's caught the eye of the cat statue too!

Thanksgiving Surprise!

 

Hymenocallis x festalis Peruvian daffodil

     I think this Hymenocallis x festalis (AKA Peruvian daffodil and AKA Spider Lily) is pretty cool.  Mike is growing this in the garden and I can see it from the kitchen window.  Normally the blooming season for this plant is July through August or late summer, but his one bloomed around Thanksgiving day.  That's that why I'm calling it the Thanksgiving surprise!

Hymenocallis x festalis Peruvian daffodil

Raindrops!

Raindrops on Plumeria Blooms

     Over the past seventy two hours, we have received 9.6 inches of rain.  That's a big deal since our yearly average rainfall is about 18 inches.  No damage in the garden but the rain has thrashed a lot of blooms.  The forecast calls for more rain tonight and tomorrow morning.  I like looking at the raindrops on the plants.

*** Update, the 5 day total was 11.2 inches of rain!  

A New record for the month of November. ***

Raindrops on Alstroemeria Leaves

Raindrops on a Viola

Raindrops on Alstroemeria Leaves

Raindrops on Floating Frogbit (these leaves are 1/2" in diameter)

Raindrops on a mix of Alstroemeria leaves and Plumeria buds

Euphorbia bupleurifolia Blooms

 

Euphorbia bupleurifolia blooms

     Here is a close up photo of a couple of blooms on Euphorbia bupleurifolia, AKA Pine cone Plant.  It's a euphorbia, native to South Africa.

Euphorbia bupleurifolia

Happy Halloween!

 I hope your night is a treat and not a trap!

Silhouette of spider caught in a Venus Fly Trap

Sighting of Osprey Sitting!

 

Osprey on top of a light post

     I was walking on the Santa Barbara Wharf and saw this Osprey sitting on top of the light post.  A guy in his early twenties asked me if it was a vulture.  I explained that no it was an Osprey, a type of fish eagle.  He thanked me and thought it was cool. 

Osprey