slgwv's photos with the keyword: cactus

Along the Horsethief Canyon designated vehicle route in the Piper Mountain Wilderness, north of Death Valley, California. Beavertail ( Opuntia basilaris ) is a type of prickly pear cactus where the thorns are isolated in small clumps, leaving big flat blades like a beaver's tail. It was a staple of the local Native Americans and is also used in traditional Mexican cooking. You can often find the blades in the Hispanic foods section of supermarkets in the US Southwest.

You don't usually see them with this many branches. Off Arizona State Route 97; map location, as usual, is approximate.

Above the Verde River, Arizona, as seen from the Verde Canyon excursion train.

Plus a young one in the foreground. They only start to develop branches when they're close to a century old. Off old US 93, Burro Creek recreation area, Arizona, USA.

Saguaros--that icon of the American West, which are found only in southern Arizona and adjacent Sonora, Mexico! Some palo verde and cholla in the foreground. Off old US 93 by the Burro Creek bridge and recreational area.

In bloom! Mint Wash Trail, Prescott, Arizona, USA. CHOY-yuh, btw. Map location is approximate.

With a little cholla for variety! Off the Fish Creek Valley road, very near the California-Nevada line. Looking east. The story is that Joshua trees got their name because Mormon emigrants thought they looked like the prophet Joshua beckoning them onward.

CHOY-yuh, in the American Spanish pronunciation. The various cholla species are among the most obnoxious thorn plants around. The plant breaks easily at the stem joints--one variety is called "jumping cholla" because the pieces break off so easily it seems it jumps onto you--and then the stem segments can in turn take root to form a new plant! They _are_ native, tho-- Arrow Canyon area, southern Nevada, USA.

Arrow Canyon, southern Nevada, USA. It is _not_ true that there is reservoir of liquid water inside these! There _is_, however, a bitter pulp that you could maybe chew if you were very thirsty indeed--

Along the Yampa River, northern Colorado, USA.