I've been so busy (yeah right) on Face Book posting pics in the group "Desert Zone" I totally forgot to post my vacation pics on my blog, so for the people like me that want to see other peoples vacation pics, here we go! "Be Warned" nothing new here, just the same area I always go. Will there be pics of desert-scapes?... mountains?.... cactus?...children that don't behave?... you bet!
Our first stop was Boulder City NV.
Boulder city has some very nice well maintained parks, like this duck pond.
They even have a few turtles there, like this big female that is not native to the state of Nevada.
Trachemys scripta "Yellow Bellied Slider"
These relocated salvaged yuccas were also part of the City's Park system.
Yucca schidigera "Mohave Yucca"
Yucca brevifolia "Joshua Tree"
"Peanut" looking from the hotel balcony. We stayed at the Quality Inn.
Views from our Hotel.
We even had a view of Lake Mead, even if it was obstructed by power-lines.
The next day we dove the rest of the way to our destenation. The Tombstone Grand Hotel.
A nicer hotel for the price I have yet to find in the area.
The thing I enjoy about the hotel is the wildlands that border it. They may get developed later on, but for now it is a great place for me to hike.
Cylindropuntia spinosior "Cholla"
I'm often wrong with my plant names, anyone that knows better, please comment.
I tried to place my hat on a cactus pad that was the same height as I am, and for a reference I'm 6'5".
Opuntia engelmannii
Someone told me this is Opuntia wootonii, but I'm not really sure what it is?
The cactus pads on these are no bigger than O. polyacantha pads.
Yucca elata "Soap Tree Yucca"
Ferocactus wislizenii "Fish Hook Barrel Cactus"
Opuntia pheacanthus?
Lots of odd yuccas where ever you go in this county.
Yucca baccata, or maybe Yucca arizonica?
I stopped by what used to be one of my favorite places in Tombstone "Boothill Cemetery". The reason I say "used to be" is because they have ruined what once was a very cool cemetery/desert garden. Whoever did this "hack job" on these plants need to have their pruners broken, burned and buried. It was once filled with beautiful agave, yuccas, ocotillo, and cactus that accented the amazing tombstones of the cemetery. It had a real "hidden gem" quality about it. Now it looks like for the most part a gravel parking lot with what looks like fake tombstones poking up. I told the Chamber of Commerce I was not happy,and other should complain as well. Oh and the worst part, what once was free, now one has too pay to see this crappy "maintained" cemetery. even thou the gift shop at the entrance was paying for any "up keep" it needed.
Luckily these cactus on this grave were to low to be trimmed.
Mammillaria heyderi.
Later we went over to the Huachuca Mountains, not sure why I did not take any picks of the mountains, but I did take a pic of this creek. I was surprised to see running.
Yucca schottii? Yucca madrensis? I never know which one.
Over to Bisbee, a quick tour of the town for our friend Sam that has never been there.
I really like all the Dasylirion wheeleri growing out of the rocks.
I've been watching this Nolina growth over the past few years. It has grown into a nice sized plant.
Entrance to the Mining Museum.
Magnolia
The Mining Museum has a real "bug" problem.
Eating breakfast at he Copper Queen Hotel.
The old mine at Bisbee. I thinks it's called the "Lavender Pit"?
I like the contrasting color of the orange rock and green of the Oak Trees.
South of Bisbee to the border town of Naco.
Sam trying to climb the fence over into Mexico.
Lucky for me I was able to grabbed my daughter before he scaled the fence.
Agave americana marginata
Back in Tombstone
Phoenix canariensis "canary island date palm" I believe this is the tallest one in town.
Hiking around by the hotel.
In this area there was mini yuccas.
Yucca baccata
Agave palmeri
Agave at the hotel.
Agave weberi
This a court yard at a place our bestest-good friend Stacy lives.
Opuntia ficus indica
Echinocactus grusonii "Golden Barrel Cactus"
The court-yard is probably why there is so many big Golden Barrels. It acts as protection from cold spells like the 2011 deep freeze.
W. robusta
This palm is a survivor of a failed development of a golf course/housing.
Phoenix canariensis
My first time on the westside of the Dragoon Mountains.
Sam and I drove over the Dragoons over into the Sulfur Valley side (eastside of the dragoons).
Love this sign, someone sure spent some time making this.
The lone saguaro south east of Sunsites AZ. I'm sure this is a survivor of both the 1978 and 2011 cold spells.
Lots of flowers in this valley.
I see they have planted eucalyptus trees at the Pearce Cemetery.
Unlike the Tombstone Cemetery, this place has cleaned up,but not maintained the crap out of.
This "cholla" is awesome!
It has think stems almost as fast as base ball bats.
Judging by the fruit it must be Cylindropuntia imbricata. Look how big the stems are compared to the fruit.
Mallow sp.
The old Post Office in Pearce AZ.
I was surprised this olive tree did not freeze to the ground as many did back in 2011.
The hardiest saguaro I know of, could it have been collect near by the lone saguaro in the hills not far here? The owner said her dad planted it when it was very small and people tried telling him it was a barrel cactus.
You can see the line of damage that was the top of the cactus when the 2011 freeze hit. This also shows how fast these grow when the get bigger. It got down to -1deg f. here in 2011.
My nextdoor neighbor in AZ. I still talk on the phone with them every week.
My only surviving planted cactus. I have planted many cactus on my property, but none seem to withstand predation. They must not like the small glochids (spines) onthis O. microdasys.
Hiking around my property.
Flowers I have no ID for.
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Opuntia macrocentra, strange to see these growing out in the open here. Most are growing in the mist of a spiny bush
After hiking around my property we drove into St David AZ.
Trichocereus terscheckii
That chock hold in the center came from the 2011 freeze. That was the top of the cactus in 2011
There used to be 3 of these cactus, the 3rd I think finally died from the 2011 frost damage.
Back in Tombstone I took a few more plant pics.
Chamaerops humilis "Mediterranean Fan Palm"
Agave americana marginata "yellow serpent"
The big W. filiferas at the old school. As you can see the third one did not survive the 2011 freeze.
"CIDP"
Opuntia robusta
I tried knocking on the door to this place, I would have loved to talk with the person that had so awesome cactus in their yard.
Opuntia rufida
Carnegiea "Saguaro" on the left and Pachycereus pringlei "Giant Cordon Cactus"
Gambel Quail
Not sure what yucca this is? Looked like Y. faxoniana?
This is a pic before the 2011 freeze, Opuntia ficus indica not sure what variety? I thought these all died on this property, but see the pic below.
They may have started a new one from a pad that had fallen, either way I'm happy to see one growing!
Unknown cactus, but one I want a start of.
Phoenix dactylifera "Edible Date Palm"
Back in St David
Trachycarpus fortunei "Windmill Palm"
Agave americana protoamericana or maybe Agave salmiana.
A huge Agave parryi.
Back in Tombstone AZ
Opuntia engelmannii var linguiformis "Cow's Tongue Cactus"
W. robusta on the edge of town. As you can see they receive damage every winter but grow out of in the spring.
A quick stop to Saguaro National Park on the way back home.
Phrynosomatid lizard "Zebra Tailed Lizard"
Driving through Phoenix AZ
Made it home safely.
