Fairyslipper and coral root orchids bloom on moist, north-facing slopes in the foothills. In March, we mistakenly wrote that yellow lady’s-slipper orchids occur in Boulder County. If anyone does know ...

I didn't want to be a plant snob. So I told myself I at least appreciated some merits of the homely cactus. The prickly pear, after all, is a role model for water conservation. The flowers are pretty ...

The dazzling white blooms of saguaros and showy yellow palo verde trees get lots of attention at this time of year — but the often underrated blooms of cholla and prickly pear cacti are putting on ...

All over the desert, rain will bring one of the biggest cactus flower shows in years. Existing cactus plants in gardens and landscapes as well as in the wild will be reproducing with a vengeance after ...

The desert prickly-pear, known to botanists as Opuntia phaeacantha, is the Southwest's most widespread and abundant species of cactus. Unlike the giant saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) that is restricted ...

I've recently discovered that cacti bloom in sunset colors, and now I am obsessed. The prickly pears are no exception. You've probably noticed bursts of yellow, coral and maybe even red peeping out ...

News flash: If you’re new to succulents, beware the prickly pear. It is the one cactus that strikes fear into every desert gardener, and now the drought has made these cactuses available far and wide.

Here’s a plant – yes, a cactus — that doesn’t seem to have many secrets. It is stark and obvious, all year long: massive, succulent pads foreboding plenty of spiny torment, with marvelous summer ...

Last May I went to Knowles Canyon Overlook Campground to enjoy magnificent scenery. Quite unexpectedly, I stumbled across small beetles in cactus blooms and an unexpected ecological interaction. As ...