May Miscellaneous

Last fall I transplanted a Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia Milii) from a pot into my yard. It seems to be doing well, but the intense heat has not yet started and it is recommended that in the Phoenix area they get light shade. This plant will get some afternoon shade, but it may not be enough. We'll see.

 This Agave angustifolia provided an interesting view from my dining room windows, but soon my view will change. Once the stalk matures, the Agave will begin to die. Not a quick process--I'd say it will be ready to be discarded by mid-July. I don't envy the landscapers who will be attacking this chore.

This Desert Willow tree (Chilopsis linearis) isn't mine--it belongs to a neighbor who planted it very close to my back block wall. Although it provides a nice show of flowers this time of year and again in the fall, it might as well be my tree because of all the debris it drops in my back yard.

Several of my Prickly Pear cacti are now in bloom. I have seven varieties, and this is the only one that I can't name. I got a pad of it at a Cactus and Succulent Society meeting years ago, and it is quite large now. I've never been able to identify it as there are dozens of species and varieties. 

It was a good spring for my roses--large blooms but little fragrance. This was taken late April. Although they are still producing buds, the heat is just too much and they dry and fry quickly. It was pretty while it lasted.