From Hedgehog to Prince of the Desert
Visiting the desert in summer gives an impression of a barren, sterile landscape. Hiking along one hears a crispy, crunching sound of last Spring’s flowers while other plants are resting and waiting for Autumn’s rain and fade into the background, becoming unnoticed. A rather good example is the humble Hedgehog Cactus (http://www.desertusa.com/mag00/mar/papr/hhog.html).
Most of the year this cactus is well camouflaged.
It is not a big cactus and blends into the background the most of the year.
Come Spring the cactus needs to shed it’s obscurity and put on a colorful show attract pollinators. What was once a plant that was not noticed is now a burst of color seen from many yards away. Soon the flowers fade and the cactus can go about the business of making seeds in obscurity, hiding from preditors and perpetuating the species.
A burst of color in spring that lasts several days.
