Cactus Blossoms

Sometimes called a Fishhook Barrel cacti and other times referred to as Compass Barrel cacti. They are very prolific in the Sonoran Desert, in some areas it's hard to travel 10 feet without altering your path for fear of coming too close to one of these very prickly plants.

The fishhook part refers to the shape of the needles which can be as long as 2 or 3 inches. Believe me you don't want to get snagged by one of these, the more you try to untangle yourself the more you get ensnared. Not to be too gross, but the only way to escape is to pull and tear flesh, your bloodied but your free.

The compass name is much more benevolent, it will aid the lost soul in a arid desert. These cactus always lean towards the south, one of natures direction finders. When these cactus get really tall, maybe 4 or 5 feet tall, they will tip over from their massive weight leaning to far southward.

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