Saguaro Blooms

They started blooming in April already. I thought that seemed awfully early, but there are still a good number of saguaros beginning to bloom now.  That is much more 'normal' for saguaros.  The fruit ripens in mid- to late-June when it is nice and hot to go around trying to nudge them off their tall perches (to make saguaro jam).

A bunch of tiny flies hovering in the upper left corner:

Caught a small one blooming, so I stood on the tailgate and reached over to get a shot or two. Caught the unopen bloom here: 

Here are three nice ones: 

 In case you didn't catch the tiny bee in the flower, here's a tight crop of it:

I wish I had better lenses as most saguaros are rather tall and getting good flower pictures is never easy.

Saguaro Blooms

The heat is near as the mighty saguaro cactus begins to bloom.

There will be two or three a day for some time. Keeps the bees busy!

And a close up. Most of the flowers are quite high so I try to take extra shots when they are lower.

I even found some saguaro fruit frozen in the back freezer, so I thawed it out and made some saguaro jam. Good stuff. The taste is very mild, almost a cross between strawberry and raspberry, but very much a watered-down version - not near as sweet.