Another show opened on the mesa today.  This time, it was the hedgehog cactus, and I must say, costume designers for Broadway musicals must have seen these babies in bloom.  Check out the headdress.    

hedgehog cactus

Although it looks like an anemone, the strawberry hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus fendleri, is known for its blossoms' retina-piercing color.  The body of the cactus is a barrel and so nondescript that it is almost guaranteed you won't see it except when it is blooming.   Although I shot the photographs contained herein between 2 and 3 p.m. (a shortened shoot because the cedar gnats were out in force) which is not exactly prime shooting time in summer, I did not adjust the color in these photographs.

hedgehog cactus 6  

hedgehog cactus 2

Scouring the mesa for these costumed beauties, I would occasionally come across some that carried much more subtle hues, such as the ones below.

hedgehog cactus 5

hedgehog cactus 4

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@