I was weeding the garden and realized a couple of things about my Wisconsin prickly pear cactus:
1. They have not bloomed yet or I missed it
2. Their spines are very small at the top and non-existant on the rest of the pad
3. They cannot be weeded for obvious reasons
4. They have a symbiotic relationship with the pine needles that fall on and around them thus making weeding unnecessary
5. They thrive on neglect (and I do that best)
And they are definitely survivors!
I sketched the way some of the pads lay on the ground, get covered up with pine needles and still develop new pads. They are in a small garden near the front porch facing south where you can see the fencing in the background.
Prickly Pear Cactus grow in many non-desert parts of the country.
Cool, Teri, thanks! Yes, we have prickly pears here in Missouri, too...usually but not always south of the Missouri River, odd, isn't it? They're really survivors, though!
ReplyDeleteYes, we have prickly pear in Australia - It is one of the most invasive weeds ever imported into Australia and has legislation declaring it a noxious weed. It was bought out on the First Fleet 200 years ago. I think it is in scrubland. I remeber coming across it while hiking sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHowever, your drawing is not like a pest at all - bright colours and I like the detail on the plant and the colour of the background.
I like your cactus, ours in AZ bloomed about a month or so ago, if they are the right kind you can also eat them , boil, or saute with scrambled eggs or on the grill like peppers, they are citrus tasting & resemble ochra.My stepson in Kansas has them in his back yard.neglect is the best method. keep sketching, your good!
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