When I was a kid I thought the desert was ugly. Really? What was I thinking? Now I get so excited about how many species of cactus I see here in The Baja.

Cactus dreams are mine.

 

Cactus Sunrise

 

Cactus Sunset

 

The one on the right above is from an agave that puts out this last bit of fun before it dies. We used it for a Christmas tree last year and we like it so much we kept it in front (without the lights). The one on the left is a yucca.

Below are two agave “trees” that are coming out of a couple small agaves.

 

 

 

Speaking of lights, we took them from the agave bloom and put them around our cardons in the front. Pretty cool, huh? Cardon cactus (scientific name: Pachycereus pringlei) are native to northwestern Mexico in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur. (“Sur” means “South”)  It is the tallest cactus species known, with a record height of 63′ tall. It is similar, but not the same as, the saguaro cactus found in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.

The ones below are on the side of my house. We have several cardon in our yard. They make great perches for the birds too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lately I have been painting little pictures of cardon. I was inspired by one of my photos to do this one:

 

Here’s the photo I used:

 

The ones below are growing into quite a clump, which is very common around here.

 

The first time we drove down The Baja, seeing the cactus was mesmerizing to us–the shapes, the sizes, colors, how they grow in such a desolate landscape. The varieties of cactus are endless, and I know only a fraction of what’s out there. The next few photos are from Cataviña on our drive on The Baja.

 

 

 

 

 

This last one in Cataviña is my favorite. It looks like a water color to me. Maybe I’ll attempt to paint this one.

Several of the cactus grow into funny shapes. We say they are “morphed.” I have no idea what causes this strange thing to happen to them. Diversity is everywhere. The one directly below is a pitaya that has morphed into this funny shape.

The next ones are morphed cardon.

 

Cactus are like people. Some of them are pricks and the next thing you know they blossom.

 

 

Here are some of my tries at painting these amazing plants.

 

The ones with the orange flowers are called tuna cactus. The ones with yellow blooms are nopales. I’ve had the paddles from them in salad. So yummy. You can eat the fruit too.

 

This gorgeous flowers above are growing on a pitaya, or organ pipe.

 

It always amazes me how cactus can grow in such rocky places.

Above is a cardon standing alone at Balandra Bay in La Paz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I no longer believe the desert is ugly. It’s full of the most crazy, cool cactus and critters. My life is full of cactus dreams.