Donkey Tails

About 30 or so years ago someone gave me or I purchased at a church bazaar, a cactus called "Donkey Tail" and it has grown. Little pieces fell off and I've started new plants to give away or have them languish in different parts of the house. It never flowered. About 20 years ago I was walking by a store front office that had one in the window with it's long tails draped on the bay window sill. It had flowers on the tails! I'm sure on occasion it was blown on to clear away some of the dust away.

This last year the poor thing thrived on neglect. It grew and I let it. I think I didn't water it for 2 months. Last week I looked at it ... to cut the long strands ... and it had flowers on it! Needless to say, I did not cut it, but did blow the dust bunnies away. When the flowers are gone I will cut it, but for now I'll enjoy the small red flowers. I think the cactus was so dry it probably thought it should reproduce! Of course, I left the plant to grow and there were lots of dust bunnies around it, because I usually have a table in front of it, but we had company and I pulled the table out, so I HAD to get rid of the dust ... and I gave it a drink!

Yes, it was worth the wait. It reminded me of our last 2 weeks in AZ when the cactus bloomed. It was glorious!

The "Torch Cactus" was so stunning to me that we bought one for my brother from B & B Cactus where I also learned more about planting in AZ. I would have planted it and given it a good dose of water. Not in the desert. Plant it and leave it to acclimate for a month, then water it once a month up to a year. That wouldn't work here. Always something new to learn. Just a reminder, BERND, it should be watered ... I forgot to send you a reminder May 1. Sorry

These ocotilla are usually brown sticks, but with the rain, followed by the days of warm weather, they flowered.