eclectic imaging
Flowering Opuntia
Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 3 June 2008 in Plant & Nature and Portfolio.
A fine flowering prickly pear (tree size!) spotted at the botanical garden, Cologne.
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Ekaputra Tupamahu from Malang, Indonesia
wow... the flowers are extremely beautiful. Great shot my friend!!
3 Jun 2008 7:21am
@Ekaputra Tupamahu: Thank you so much! :)
Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan
Exciting to see a cactus plant blooming,'cause they don't last long!I like the focus on the blooms, the colours and details! Those tiny buds below the blooms are as many promises!
3 Jun 2008 11:01am
@Japanalia: Here that whole Opuntia tree (approx 2.5 m high) was in full bloom! It must have had several dozen flowers, really amazing! There were other cacti blooming, think I'll post them too... :-)
Tracey from White Hall, United States
Looks like a strange insect of the caterpillar species (from those tufts of hair) before they bloom into a beautiful butterfly. I have quite the imagination, don't I?!? :op
3 Jun 2008 11:16am
@Tracey: Speaking of butterflies: "The one who loves butterflies also loves caterpillars." - Gardener's joke :-ö
We have a big opuntia at home. My wife loves it but I just call it "the monster". It's aggressive. It attacks me in the rear when I'm unsuspectingly watering my ferns, hurting my most precious body parts! I always try not to fall for it but this thing is intelligent. It's dangerous. It needs a cage.
@Michael Skorulski: The flowers are beautiful, but that whole plant is quite a beast! ;-)
jenniellen from little town, United States
Cacti flowers are some of the most unique and beautiful!!! I can just stare at them!!! :D
3 Jun 2008 1:54pm
@jenniellen: Let me see if I have some more cacti flower shots... :-)
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
Looks very American Southwest to me. Are you sure you took this in Germany?
3 Jun 2008 2:01pm
@Twelvebit: Absolutely! They're growing in the garden's greenhouse :-)
@Ina: Thanks, Ina! This was a really remarkable plant, there are not many huge prickly pears like this one in the neighbourhood :)
JoeB from Brampton, Canada
We don't get these up here, but once in awhile the markets have prickly pears.
3 Jun 2008 5:18pm
@JoeB: Some are frost-hardy; if you keep them in a tub and overwinter them with little protection (or better in a greenhouse or in the hallway) they should even survive Canadian winters. - Maybe. :-)
Helma from Tehran, Iran
absolutely beautiful !! nice shot with best focuss ... lovely shot !
thank you
3 Jun 2008 5:25pm
@Helma: Thanks so much, Helma! I personally prefer Euphorbias to Cacti, because they don't prick me that much! :-D
@Laurent: Thanks, Laurent, glad you like it! :-)
Evelyne Dubos from Le Mans, France
It's a beautiful and unusual flower in my region, a pleasure to see that.
3 Jun 2008 9:58pm
@Evelyne Dubos: It would be nice if they could grow outside: I'm aware of some hardy opuntia species, and some gardeners have them in their gardens, but this shot has been made in a greenhouse.
@akarui: Light was coming through a glass ceiling, but it was sufficient :-)
Steven from Chicagoland, United States
A nice burst of color among all the lush greens.
3 Jun 2008 11:39pm
@Steven: I'll show this photo to our own opuntia and will see if it finally will begin to flower too! :-)
Observing from Chester, United Kingdom
Very beautiful flowering cactus, and very well taken.
3 Jun 2008 11:57pm
@Observing: Though I'm not the greatest cactus fan I'm always charmed by their flowers. To get this at home isn't that easy, though...
@Jen: I think I was lucky: I used my macro lens without a tripod. Usually this results in blurry images, but this one is okay :-)
dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, CA, United States
such wonderful and delicate light and color -- the focus is supreme!
30 Jul 2008 7:11pm
@dj.tigersprout: Thanks a lot! I think I was just lucky, as I didn't have a tripod at hand.
