Lake Pleasant Wildflowers

I went up to Lake Pleasant, a bit north of Phoenix, yesterday.  The wildflowers are in decline, but the cactus are beginning to bloom nicely!  Here's a trio of buckhorn cholla blooms.

These flowers are in teddy bear chollas.  You have to be careful when getting close to these plants!

Macro shot of ocotillo flowers near the lake.

These red flowers are produced by a hedgehog type cactus...don't know the exact name.

Chollas produce a variety of colors in their flowers.  These orange blooms are from another buckhorn.

I hiked a trail near the lake and found many chollas with unusually profuse blooms!  The hike was delightful!

Near the lake, I came upon desert mariposa lilies.  Nature's works of art.

Not a flower, but the spines of a fishhook barrel cactus are works of art.  I love the surreal forms of nature in the desert, and the bright flowers in the harsh landscape.  They're uplifting.