The colorful spring show continues! These past few weeks we've seen a wide variety of native desert cacti blooming in and around Joshua Tree National Park. Here are just a few colorful examples to inspire you to get out there and enjoy the season. 

Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus Triglochidiatus)

Claret cup, also called the Mojave mound cactus, is an especially spectacular mound cactus found mostly in pinon-juniper and Joshua tree woodlands at elevations above 3500 feet. The plant forms a dense clump and can have up to several hundred heads, usually about 15-16 inches tall each. In spring the top of the plant becomes covered with bright scarlet flowers.

Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus Engelmannii) 

The Hedgehog cactus is commonly found throughout the Mojave Desert on gravelly fans and plains, and on rocky slopes. The plant usually has 5-15 heads in a clump less than 3 feet across. The flowers are bright and range between purplish-magenta to lavender. The spines can vary in size and color and can either be dark reddish-brown to yellowish, pinkish or gray.

Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris)

Beavertail cactus lacks the characteristic spines that are typical of the cactus family. The plant is well protected though, and the brownish dots on the pads should be avoided since they contain very small spines called glochids that are very irritating and difficult to remove. Beavertail grows only about 1 foot tall with several spreading stems, and are commonly found on desert plains and slopes. The flowers are brilliant magenta color.

Engelmann Prickly-Pear (Opuntia Engelmannii) 

This prickly-pear is a sprawling plant usually less than 2 feet high, with oval pads usually greater than 6 inches. It grows mostly in pinon-pine and Joshua tree woodlands, but occasionally can be found at lower elevations. The flowers are all yellow.

Golden or Silver Cholla (Opuntia Echinocarpa)

The common name used usually depends on the color of the spine. The flowers are a beautiful greenish-yellow. The plant grows throughout most of the Mojave Desert, below 4500 feet on dry plains and also occasionally in washes. The plant is an intricately-branched shrub ranging from 2-4 feet tall, with a short, woody trunk and a dense crown.

Be sure to check out the April wildflower reports and plan your next visit to Joshua Tree National Park soon to catch all the colorful spring activity!

During your next park visit this spring you can participate with collecting wildflower data by downloading the free iNaturalist app on your smartphone and record all your sightings. There's been a lot of community engagement so far this season with over 100 different species recorded! Check out the Joshua Tree National Park Wildflower Watch page for all the latest updates.