A recent post on Cow's Tongue Prickly Pear at Las Adventuras had piqued my interest and I wanted to stop along the way to take photos of some I had previously seen in a pasture.
While taking the picture above I began looking around and....whoa, what's this?
It's a Desert Christmas Cactus like the one I picked up from Jean on Saturday. David of The Desert Edge blog provided additional information in his comments. The Cylindropuntia leptocaulis is also known as the Christmas Cholla or Tasajillo in Spanish.
Here are more photos of Cow's Tongue Prickly Pear and Christmas Cholla in a pasture less than 20 minutes from my house.
Little by little, I'm adding to my knowledge of native plants and learning to recognize them in the wild.
The young Cow's Tongue cactus pads on this one are quite round.
So how did those cuttings turn out, you ask? Excellent results as you can see below. The 80% success rate was twice what I typically get on my own. A big thanks to Andrea at Hill Country Gardens and I would do this again in a minute.
The 'Grapes' Gomphrena is already blooming up in the top right.
Oh, and I snapped this shot of Yucca Rostrata, a silvery standout on a cloudy, windy day. This one is a permanent part of the gardens, but Andrea plans to have smaller ones available for sale in the future.
Hello there, beautiful Cow's Tongue. And the Christmas Cholla is a cool discovery. They are a bit more sensitive here, but I do see them every now and again. We have the tree and teddy bear varieties...but there is nothing Teddy Bear like with that cholla:) It's Wednesday...only 2 more days until the weekend!! Hiking!:) Thanks for the mention. Chris
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Chris. I read that the Christmas Cholla is most common at 1000' or above which is typical elevation in this area.
DeleteHiking sounds like fun, enjoy.
Congratulations with the cuttings. Now the fun begins.
ReplyDeleteThanks Crystal. I'll keep them intact until frost danger is past and try to document putting them in the garden too.
DeleteCongrats on the cuttings--you'll have fun watching them grow and fretting over them! Did you get rain like we did in Austin last night/this morning?
ReplyDeleteWe got rain with a dramatic thunderstorm that lasted several hours. There's a report of wind damage and power outages on the west side of town.
DeleteIt's really muddy where the rain gauge is, so I haven't checked it.
Your cuttings look fabulous! How exciting to have new babies! Love that Yucca Rostrata. What an elegant plant.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'd love to plant them now but I know better because we typically get a deep freeze here in early Feb.
DeleteGood finds! That first clump is especially pretty, well...if spikes can be pretty. And congrats on the cuttings, nothing like a little success to spur you on.
ReplyDeleteThe Cow's Tongue does seem to be prettier and more symmetrical than the standard prickly pear. They definitely stand out even in the land of the prickly pear.
DeleteNice success with propogation...great skill to have (that I don't have)! Getting out there has rewards..."wow, I just bought one of those."
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Cow's Tongue P Pear is found only in the wild around San Antonio and adjacent South Texas - nowhere else, unless planted. Christmas Cholla is native from S TX up to right near my house and over to SE Arizona, though it is not the same genus or species as "Christmas Cactus" (that is a more tender, indoor plant, at least here).
Now, you'll want to take notice of the visual context those plants grow in, their mature size, and their spacing from similar plants and nearby plants. Vs. how you might think to use them with that in mind. Desert Dweller lesson #6-e over! Good job.
Thanks David, the photos will serve as a reference on where to plant. Fascinating that they are only native to this area. Development is encroaching on that spot so it probably won't look like that much longer.
DeleteWe did get a spineless Cow's Tongue and it will need plenty of space along with protection from the deer. I did notice the Christmas Cholla doesn't naturally play with the prickly pear. On their own surround by native grasses. Everything looks good with a background of live oaks.
Lessons from the master are always appreciated.