Claret Cup Cactus
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The color and texture contrasts between the flow and rest of the plant make it a familiar photographic subject for many people living in its range, the southern area of the desert Southwest from California to Texas.
Claret cups are a species of hedgehog cactus. Gardeners and landscapers sing its praises, using it as a hummingbird plant.
A variety of hummingbird species, such as the Broad-tailed, Black-chinned hummingbird and Magnificent, feed on claret cup flower nectar and help with pollination.
It's a small ribbed cactus that often grows in clusters of stems. The picture on the left shows its ribs and long spines.
© 2004 Patricia A. Michaels.