We had just driven through the gates into Honeymoon Beach State Park when we spied these yellow blooms.
A surprise, because we think of them as part of the landscape in the dry Southwest States not here in humid Florida. But cactus plants apparently grow in pretty much every State in the union.
I got lost down some internet rabbit holes trying to find the name of this one -- and whether they grow here naturally or are "escaped" from someone's house plant garden. And never did get a good answer.
In any case, the bees were happy to visit them -- and so was I. Yellow flowers always make me smile. No matter how prickly the "leaves" are.
SHARING WITH: TODAY'S FLOWERS. Thank you to Denise and her team. And with I HEART MACRO, hosted by Laura. Thank you Laura for reminding me that your beautiful meme is still open.
If we ever warm up here ours will start blooming! I'm ready!
✿♥ღLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Posted by: Linda | April 30, 2014 at 11:57 AM
I found it quite shocking that the reason why a prickly pear is called such is on account of its flower buds being edible. The rest of the plant is also edible after the spines are removed, but I have never tried it.
Posted by: Jerry E. Beuterbaugh | April 30, 2014 at 08:11 AM
I'm so glad you shared these with I Heart Macro Sallie… so beautiful!!!
Posted by: Laura Hegfield | April 29, 2014 at 03:14 PM
The name doesn't matter ! the photos are beautiful !
Posted by: Gattina | April 29, 2014 at 07:44 AM
I've seen the cactus before but not the yellow blossom; always when I spot this cacti blooming here the flower is either pink or red.
Posted by: Photo Cache | April 28, 2014 at 05:48 PM
We call them prickly pear. I couldn't tell you if it's the actual proper name. They are edible after you scrape off the thorns. They grow an edible fruit after the blooms go away, too.
Posted by: Jen | April 28, 2014 at 05:45 PM
I have never seen cactus blooms, yours are gorgeous! A road trip I would love to take is one to the southwest when it is springtime in the desert. Enjoy your week Sallie!
Posted by: DeniseinVA | April 28, 2014 at 03:32 PM
A very nice series of photos .. great job ...
Greetings, Karin
Posted by: Karin M. | April 28, 2014 at 12:52 PM
Lovely cactus bloom.
Posted by: Ida P. Krause | April 28, 2014 at 12:10 PM
How very pretty!
Posted by: Lady Fi | April 28, 2014 at 11:34 AM
Wow! They are gorgeous. I've never seen them growing in the wild before.
Posted by: Lois | April 28, 2014 at 06:07 AM
Yellow is a pretty colour. And it stands out well against black.
Posted by: joe | April 28, 2014 at 05:35 AM
These cactus flowers are so beautiful! Amazing!
Posted by: Mary | April 28, 2014 at 04:31 AM
Yellow flowers induce smiles from me, too! This is really beautiful. I'm so glad you shared your wonderful find with us. Have a great week!
Posted by: Gail | April 28, 2014 at 03:05 AM
such a delicate flower on teh sturdy cactus. :) Love the color too.
Posted by: NatureFootstep Photo | April 27, 2014 at 01:30 PM
How gorgeous Sallie!!! I do hope you'll share with I Heart Macro:-)
Posted by: Laura Hegfield | April 27, 2014 at 10:51 AM
Beautiful yellow blossomss! We even have a variety of cacus up here in middle-of-nowhere Illinois.
Posted by: Roan | April 27, 2014 at 05:43 AM
I was photographing cactus today - but mine were in a botanic garden!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
PS: I was surprised you were the only person to comment on the "last sentence" of my recent post - strange really as it was rather important!
Posted by: Stewart M | April 27, 2014 at 04:42 AM
Don't forget to look for Alice if you are lost in a rabbit hole again.
And enjoy yourself in the Wonderland.
Posted by: Rainfield M Penang | April 27, 2014 at 12:06 AM
Cactus are always a wonderful surprise, growing in such dry and barren places (usually) - this one is so soft and such a delicate yellow.
Posted by: Hildred Finch | April 26, 2014 at 11:02 PM
They are gorgeous!
Posted by: Gaelyn | April 26, 2014 at 05:53 PM
Dearest Sallie;
Very beautiful yellow cactus (name unknown)♡♡♡
Glad you could spy these yellow blooms(*^_^*)
We can enjoyed cactus in our small tropical botanical garden in our city park.
Sending you Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*
Posted by: orchid | April 26, 2014 at 04:15 PM
They are beautiful flowers Sallie. Such a soft buttercup yellow.
Posted by: Karen | April 26, 2014 at 01:32 PM
Beautiful photography!
In Colorado, when we have these delicate blossoms it's a sign of encouragement. We only see them when we've had enough moisture. If the winter has been too dry, the cactus will not have lovely blooms. So to us they're beautiful, but also hopeful.
Posted by: Marylin Warner | April 26, 2014 at 11:00 AM
Wow! These were wonderful, beautiful flower photos!
Posted by: Birgitta | April 26, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Beautiful blooms. I love cacti. If the birds and bees like them they are probably native.
Posted by: Dianne | April 26, 2014 at 09:55 AM
Blooms of cactus, I can only see in commercial area, market or exhibition, private gardens with protected individual pots...not in wild areal... In Europe - I presume is not a common plant and it requires the arid base of soil! Lovely flower... Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Alexa T | April 26, 2014 at 08:52 AM
Beautiful cactus flower. It is rare to see cactus flowers in my part of the world, so it is good fengshui if our cactus has flowers :)
Posted by: eastcoastlife | April 26, 2014 at 08:23 AM
These are beautiful.
Posted by: Hazel | April 26, 2014 at 08:01 AM
Very lovely cactus flower.
Posted by: Rajesh | April 26, 2014 at 07:52 AM
we have these same prickly pear cacti in our ne tx neck of the woods. and they bloom yellow, just like this. i've seen a few around the area that bloom orange and i'm going to nab myself some paddles to plant here one of these years. :)
Posted by: TexWisGirl | April 26, 2014 at 07:12 AM
oh they are really beautiful and what a soft, pretty shade of yellow. in the last image, i see a perfect heart in the green part of the cacti!!
Posted by: Debbie | April 26, 2014 at 07:09 AM
That is beautiful!
Posted by: Yogi | April 26, 2014 at 06:48 AM
Yellow is always so cheery, I agree, and love to see them anywhere. This cactus is gorgeous. We can actually grow them here in protected spots. One of my garden club friends has them along the south side of her house, where the warmth and bricks protect them. Still, there is nothing quite like discovering a bloom as you did. Thanks, Sallie.
Posted by: Penny | April 26, 2014 at 06:24 AM
Gorgeous, soft, subtle and so lovely. Interesting you found this in FL. I collected postcard photos of cacti flowers on a trip to AZ. They were irresistible.
Posted by: georgettesullins | April 26, 2014 at 06:21 AM
The cactus flowers are wonderful.
Posted by: Carver | April 26, 2014 at 06:19 AM
Beautiful flowers, the yellow is so bright and cheerful.. Have a happy weekend!
Posted by: Eileen | April 26, 2014 at 06:09 AM
Very pretty and cheerful, Sallie!
Posted by: Sally in WA | April 26, 2014 at 06:04 AM
Hi,Sallie. Your macro photos are very beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Posted by: Minoru | April 26, 2014 at 05:55 AM
I love the idea of "escaped houseplants!" Beautiful photos.
Posted by: Clair Z. | April 26, 2014 at 05:13 AM
Cactus flowers are so different and pretty. I love your description "lost down internet rabbit holes"...that is so easy to do.
Posted by: diane | April 26, 2014 at 05:05 AM
what a pretty flower... i've never seen one like it before. i love how you seem to put a colored shadow around your pics instead of the usual black. it accents your photos quite nicely. have a great day~
Posted by: naquillity | April 26, 2014 at 04:05 AM
und hier nur wenn man GLÜCK hat auf der Fensterbank
Danke für diese schönen Bilder
LG vom katerchen
Posted by: katerchen | April 25, 2014 at 10:36 PM
They are so pretty! It's fascinating that such a delicate bloom emerges from such a rugged plant!
Posted by: Karen, Pixel Posts | April 25, 2014 at 10:29 PM
They're gorgeous! Enjoy your weekend.
Posted by: Gunilla | April 25, 2014 at 10:24 PM
I saw lots of Prickly Pear Cacti blooming today in the desert. If there is decent drainage, succulents can grow almost anywhere! Honeymoon Beach, huh?
Posted by: Barb | April 25, 2014 at 09:16 PM