Checked out the cactus garden at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix last weekend and couldn't believe how many flowers were blooming

I know it's fall but apparently some of those cacti just go off whenever they feel like it. There was this one saguaro that had like 20 flowers on top and it was covered in bees. The volunteer said they only bloom at night sometimes. Never knew that. Has anyone else seen weird blooming schedules in their area?

2 comments

2 Comments

riley86018d ago

Wait, do the flowers just close back up when the sun comes up or do they actually fall off after that single night?

blake_williams18d ago

Does anyone actually know if it's more about temperature or light that makes them open back up? I've always heard they close when the sun goes down and reopen in the morning, but I've seen videos where they just wilt and drop off after that first night. I think it depends on the specific type of cactus flower. Some of those night bloomers are so fragile they only last a few hours before they start shriveling up. So is it really a single night and then they're done, or do they get a second chance the next evening?