Big Bend National Park in Full Bloom (Part 1: Succulents)

In April 2014, we camped in Big Bend National Park after some heavy spring rains. Those April showers made everything bloom! On impulse we picked up a field guide, Plants of the Chihuahuan Desert by Jennete Jurado, and went hunting for flowers. In this post are the blooming succulents that we found (non-succulents next).

Upper left: Langford near the hot spring, Upper right: Santa Elena Canyon, Lower left: Rio Grande at Boquillas, Lower right: Terlingua Abajo

Behold! Every blooming cactus we could find!

Claret cup cactus Echinocereus coccineus — **Claret cup cactus**
*Echinocereus coccineus*

Blind prickly pear cactus Opuntia rufida — **Blind prickly pear cactus**
*Opuntia rufida*

Purple prickly pear cactus Opuntia azurea var. diplopurpurea — **Purple prickly pear cactus**
*Opuntia azurea* var. *diplopurpurea*

Strawberry pitaya Echinocereus stramineus — **Strawberry pitaya cactus**
*Echinocereus stramineus*

Texas rainbow cactus Echinocereus dasyacanthus — **Texas rainbow cactus**
*Echinocereus dasyacanthus*

Tree cholla Opuntia imbricata — **Tree cholla**
*Opuntia imbricata*

Sotol Dasylirion leiophyllum — **Sotol**
*Dasylirion leiophyllum*

Lechuguilla Agave lechuguilla — **Lechuguilla**
*Agave lechuguilla*

Torrey yucca Yucca torreyi — **Torrey yucca**
*Yucca torreyi*

For Dana

Next: Big Bend National Park in Full Bloom (Part 2: Wildflowers and Shrubs)

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