'Our 40th Anniversary Present from Mother Nature!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome!

Like clockwork, every spring in mid-June, just before my husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary, the cacti on our property bloom in a profusion of fragrant, yellow flowers.

For our 40th anniversary this year they started to bloom on June 11th and the last flower closed on June 21st. This cold-climate species of Prickly Pear cactus, named Eastern Prickly Pear, that grows like a weed here in Chicago, IL is described here.

Our patch grows, from a small neighbor's cutting taken 20 years ago, between our house and driveway, in an area sheltered from winds. These cacti are bathed in full sun with both south and west exposures. They brilliantly survive the cold weather and being buried under mounds of snow during our long winter months.

 

When we first bought our house, the previous owners had planted a wild rose bush where the cacti are now. But the ground was such a dry desert there that hubby removed the roses and we planted succulents - and later the small cactus cutting that started it all.

The cacti took over the succulents. Good thing we have the house and driveway and 'landing pad' as barriers on all sides. Otherwise those cactus plants would overgrow everything!

The yellow cactus flowers are gorgeous and their aroma is intoxicating. We enjoyed over 50 blooms this year!

YOUR TURN
Do you have cactus plants on your property? Do they flower? What is your climate? What city, state or country are your cacti in? 

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Peace,
LuLu