What Was Blooming In The Huntington Desert Garden At May's End?

Echinopsis robinsoniana:
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I was hoping to see some hybrid Echinopsis blooms, but apparently they were a few more days yet.
Dyckia species (orange flowers), Palo Verde tree (the yellow):
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Opuntia microdasys:
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We inadvertently hit prime time for Yucca rostrata
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Wow, eh?
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Another group:
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Bromilia balansae, the 'Heart of Flame'.  
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I dunno.  Some Opuntia:
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Agave lechuguilla bloom, flowers just ready to open.
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This bromiliad was done.
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This were just starting:
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 Didn't get the name of this one.  Some Opuntia:
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This extremely ratty looking Yucca (Nolina?) had an inflorescence that was mobbed by an entire beehive.  Any black dot you see here was a bee, buzzing in ecstasy.  Must have been some nectar!
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Beautiful Agave, no tag, no flower, but what a poetic curve to the leaf:
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Oops!  There's a flower cluster:
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Monster Dasylirion bloom stalk.  Keep in mind the plant itself was at least six feet (2 M) tall.  I couldn't figure out if it was finished blooming or just starting.  Wow.  
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Fouquiera species:
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A Stapelia, just far enough away that we couldn't smell it.  The flies had not yet arrived.
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Can't resist those Golden Barrels, can you?
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And the fun shots of the day were this Finch(?) digging through cactus flowers for small caterpillars:
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Got one!  Yummy!
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Beak was getting dirty...
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So that's May's End...
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...unexpectedly floral...
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...quite delightful!
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Comments

  1. Wow, simply wow.

    Fantastic photos as always.

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  2. I've never seen a Yucca rostrata in bloom, wow indeed! Thanks for bringing us along on your tour.

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  3. Ya, what Spiky O said!

    I love that the flower bud bases on the Opuntia microdasys are just as polka-dotted with glochids as the pads are.

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  4. Absolutely superb series of shots! Highly beautiful. I love those blooming yuccas. and that looks like a House Finch to me

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  5. Awesome, we don't see plants like that in Alabama!

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  6. Love the finch pictures! And the Yucca rostrata is awesome.

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  7. that yucca is sensational!

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  8. This is your blog photo opus, Hoov. The photos are gorgeous, each one more lovely than the last. Thank you!

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  9. You have highlighted your landscape so beautifully. Inside this drought tolerant mecca, there is life and beauty. I love all the pollinators in that one particular photo.

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  10. Thanks to all for the very kind comments. Happy you enjoyed the pictures. I'm a little behind on blogging because of a busy weekend, sorry!

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  11. Stupendous photos, Hoov. I've never seen Yucca rostrata or a dasylirion in bloom. I wonder if mine is getting old enough to throw a spike like that.

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