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The weather has turned hot this week and we are not likely to see many days below 100 degrees until the fall.

Many of the winter/spring plants such as geraniums, petunias, etc. have thrown in the towel. Another plant has not exactly thrown in the towel as much as it is “coming home after the ball!” I am talking about the Saguaros. They were blooming extensively over the last several weeks. The wet winter obviously agreed with them and enabled them to store up the energy they needed for such a spectacular show. The picture below depicts how the saguaros look throughout most of the year. Impressive, but the floral jewelry is gone.

Some time during May, the Saguaro’s begin to show their little nubs something like the ear’s of Shrek!

 

You can see the many nubs below with one flower.

Here is a closeup of the flower with the numerous buds!

Below is a picture of one Saguaro flower after it has fallen from the cactus.

After the flower falls, the fruits develop and turn red. Native Americans used them as a food source and I am told they are very sweet.

Long before the fruits develop completely, birds such as Curve Bills and Doves begin to hover over them to claim their loot. They will watch them and when they are ripe, they will devour them. When they aren’t eating the ripe fruit, they are busy keeping other birds away.


 
 

Below is a picture of a dove watching over the ripening fruit (center, right).

 

While this year’s display is almost over, I can look forward to an encore next year!

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post