Cacti at the US Botanic Garden

in Garden Focus by Britt — August 2, 2010 at 7:31 am | 0 comments

mammillaria parkinsonii © Britt Conley

I spent most of my life rather unenthused about cacti. I really didn’t see the point in desert plants. Now that I’m older and wiser and a photographer, I just can’t keep my lens off of them.

Organ Pipe cactus stenocereus thurberi © Britt Conley

Here at the U.S. Botanic Garden in the middle of Washington D.C. there are plenty of cactus plants to choose from. Their exhibits offer hundred of species from all over the world.

Cacti at the US Botanical Garden © Britt Conley

Some are in full bloom at the moment, like this Parodia Warasii from Brazil. It’s magnificent golden yellow bloom measures just over five inches across.

Parodia warasii © Britt Conley

The cacti here come in all shapes and sizes. This Echinopsis is a hybrid between a Stars and Strips and Multiplex cacti.

Echinopsis Stars and Stripes © Britt Conley

One of the aspects I like to capture in these desert treats is the coloring. Each green is often unique in some way and many cacti come with different colored spiked tendrils like this Cleistocactus Winteri from Bolivia.

Cleistocactus Winteri from Bolivia © Britt Conley

Others just have phenomenal structure. This Giant Mexican Cerus Pachyceruspringeli from NW Mexico has plenty to explore photographically.

Giant Mexican Cerus Pachyceruspringeli © Britt Conley

There is a lot more to explore in just this exhibit alone! Of course here at the U.S. Botanic Garden there are plenty more garden areas to see including both indoor and outdoor offerings.

The US Botanical Garden © Britt Conley

For more information go strait to the source: http://www.usbg.gov/ The conservatory is open 10-5 every day of the year. For those outdoor enthusiasts, the exterior gardens are open 10-7 now through September 6th. Hope you get a chance to visit this National gem soon.

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Tags: Cactus featured US Botanical Garden