Hedgehog Cacti in Bloom

May 25, 2013

HedgehogCactus_01 (2)

Photographer: Kathleen Kiefer; Kathleen's Web site
Summary Author: Kathleen Kiefer

HedgehogCacti_02The photo above shows hedgehog cacti blooming in the Ancient Lakes area of Washington State. I had always wanted to see the illusive crimson to cherry colored blooms of the "hedgehog," which grow on rocky hillsides and flat lands, usually in lithosol areas. Because collectors have been known to dig them up, even though seldom survive under propagation, they've become increasingly rare where they were once common. The ones above were found in a rather secluded part of the Columbia Basin, pictured against a backdrop of lichen-covered rocks, larkspur, phlox, and sulphur lupine. Photo taken on April 13, 2013.

Photo details: Top - Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D; Lens: EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM; Focal Length: 22.0mm; Aperture: f/25.0; Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640); ISO equiv: 1250; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh. Inset - Same except: Lens: EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS; Focal Length: 52.0mm.