The Blossoming of a Prickly Pear

Such Delicacy Amidst the Thorns

Every summer, in Southern California, a miraculous explosion of paper-thin petals dancing in the breeze emerges above the spiny paddles of the Prickly Pear Cactus. Towards the end of the season, they morph into an edible fruit. And the show of spiraling stamens and fluttery flowers mesmerizes me every time. I am that “odd woman” whose mountain bike is laying alongside the trail while I crouch down to capture images of this fleeting display of beauty.

Each flower is just a little different than the others, maybe a touch more sunshine-yellow or gingered-peach.

In the photo above, you can see (next to the open flower) another bud beginning to flare its wings open to the sun.

This one is still nascent, a tight whirl of intricately-woven fuzzy “soon-to be” petals.

And, here, you can see the stamens, deep inside, preparing to emerge.

The flower, above, looks like a whirligig of curlicues, each trying to decide which way to spin.

And here, we have almost reached the fullness of the bloom. Did you notice the tiny bug on the petal?

Like a blazing sun, whose corona bursts through the darkness, this flower’s pollen seemed to me to be exploding into the desert air.

I hope that you enjoyed this journey into the world of Prickly Pear Blossoms. You might also like this story about ephemerality.

And this one portrays “Urban Birds” thriving in the midst of mankind.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading the love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).

Story and photos ©Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.