Cactus spines vary, depending on genus and species. I've always thought the spines are as interesting as the flowers.
Some cacti have only a few spines, but they are strong and sharp.
Some spines look like crawling lice or mites,
and one has a little bud forming right in the center.
Some spines are a tangled mess,
and others are very hairy.
Some have spines that are aligned and precise,
others have a combination of hooks, wool and fine spines.
Some spines are so dense you can't see the cactus skin,
and some look just like you'd expect a cactus to look.
12 comments:
WOW! this is great! They would look magnificent framed and hanging on my wall!!!!!!!!
Terrific pictures!! I especially like the hairy one, and the others are so symmetric. Reminds me of geometry class! :) (I enjoyed geometry, BTW :)
I'm a huge fan of macro shots and these cactus macros are wonderful! I see so much that I wouldn't otherwise see--like the pillow-soft look of the third photo.
Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage
Cacti are fascinating plants. It is great when it is possible to plant them ouside in the soil. I have a few in pots and have to be careful that they don't get to wet in the rainy season. Your photos are very good showing the differences.
How very interesting. I knew different cacti had different spines, but never looked closely enough to see just how different. They are amazing. I could even see the'mites'-ugh! But the one that is almost entirely covered-wow! Thanks for the great pictures and the info.
Wow Aiyana, these shots are just terrific. Love them and all the comparisons!
What a really cool post, and pics!!! I love the beauty of seeing all of them together like that. I would love to have these photos framed and on the wall!!!
A terrific post, Aiyana, with all the varieties of spines. I'd seen those hairy cacti before and didn't realize all that fuzzy white "hair" were really spines!
These were good photographs that showed well the many differences in cactus spines. What a variety!
Can you please ID the cactus in the 6th picture down titled -- "Spines that are aligned and precise"
Thanks.
Vonne,
It is a Parodia rutilans, commonly known as Pink Ball Cactus. You can see the flowers by typing in Parodia rutilans in the "Search Blog" box at top of my home page.
Aiyana
Wow, macro spines can be deceiving!
I was absolutely positive that I was about to discover a name for one of my unknown cacti, but after clicking on the shot with the flowers, I see that it's an entirely different genus.
Thanks anyway! I appreciate the reply. I really enjoy your blog, and I've learned a lot too. I've collected cacti for 20 yrs, but I'm only now starting to ID all of them. It's frustrating trying to get a correct ID the way the names keep changing.
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