Big Bend national Park - Cactus Flowers
There are more species of cacti (or cactuses, either is accepted) in Big Bend National Park than any other park. As many as 65 taxa of cactus can be found in the park. The diversity of cactus is a result of our location and the diversity of landforms in the park. Big Bend is located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, a desert that is in itself known for cactus diversity. But the park also has botanical influences from nearby biomes such as the Edwards plateau, Tamaulipan thornscrub, Sierra Madre, and southern Rocky Mountains. The variety of habitats created by the diversity of elevation, geology, and soils allows many of these species to occupy small areas of suitable habitat in the park. Many park visitors plan their visits to Big Bend National Park around viewing these beautiful plants when they are in bloom. In most years April is the best month to see many species of cactus in bloom, though in especially wet years we could have something blooming every month of the year.
These pictures were taken several years ago using film. Some of the pictures are from scans of the film negative, others are from the picture CD that came with the processing.
