Cleistocactus tupizensis bud

Sometimes the buds are as interesting as the full flower!

Cleistocactus tupizensis

Sometimes we lovingly refer to cacti as "weird" plants, and this one kind of falls in that catagory: long, brightly colored flowers on hairy but prickly columns, which quite regularly creates astounding, crested fans.

Red Cactus Flowers

This photo's a little dark, but it has two, very contrasting cactus flowers in one pic: Aporocactus 'Oakleigh Conquest' and Cleistocactus tupizensis.

At this time of year it's hard to keep up with all the plants which are flowering. Our plants here in Oregon flower a little later than they do in California, but as the sunny days become more common, so also the flowers. And it is getting warmer, with another weekend in the high 80s F predicted for Saturday and Sunday.