Family Gathering
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
Family Gathering
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
Fouquieria splendens, or Ocotillo is a spiny cactus plant indigenous to the Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Colorado Desert in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Also referred to as coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's staff, Jacob cactus, and vine cactus, the semi-succulent Ocotillo is more closely related to tea and blueberries than to cacti.
For much of the year, the plant appears as an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks, but closer examination reveals stems that are partly green. With rainfall, the plant quickly becomes lush with small ovate leaves, remaining for weeks or even months.
Individual stems may reach a diameter of several inches at the base, and may grow to a height of 33 feet. Above the base, branches are pole-like and slender and seldom exhibit secondary branches. The leaf stalks harden into blunt spines, and new leaves sprout from the base of the spine.
The Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert. These plants are large, tree-like columnar cacti that usually develop branches as they age. These branch/arms generally bend upward and can number over 25. Saguaros are covered with protective spines, white flowers in the late spring, and red fruit in summer.
Found exclusively in the Sonoran Desert, the most important factors for cactus growth are water and temperature. If the elevation is too high, the cold weather and frost can kill the saguaro. Although the Sonoran Desert experiences both winter and summer rains, the Saguaro obtains most of its moisture during the summer rainy season.
Opuntia, commonly called prickly pear, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae. This paddle cactus genus is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus, where, according to Theophrastus, an edible plant grew and could be propagated by rooting its leaves.
Prickly pears typically grow with flat, rounded cladodes containing large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hair like prickles that adhere to skin or hair, then detach from the plant. The cactus thrives in regions with mild winters having a prolonged dry spell followed by hot summers with occasional rain and relatively low humidity.
Some digital effects were applied to the original image after the photograph was made. No electrons were harmed during the transition. Your finished photograph will not contain the Fine Art America watermark.
Image copyright 2022 Jon Burch Photography.
Uploaded
April 10th, 2022
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