Floral portraits

I could easily do a dozen posts just on flowers I've taken photos of over the past month.   Things are just starting to ramp up here as far as spring flower season goes, and once the iris start blooming, I'll be in heaven, as they are my favorite of the bulbed flowers (technically, they are rhizomes and not true bulbs).

I will probably add another desert wildflower post before too long.   In the meantime, here are a few photos, done with the help of a tripod and backdrop, of native and exotic blooms, while I was back in Tucson.  Last week, I took similar photos of my beloved Christmas cactus, which, much to my delight, was still busy producing its gorgeous flowers when I returned home.  Those I haven't pulled off the camera yet.

Enjoy some of these beautiful spring offerings by Mother Nature!

Red Yucca - front view

Each blossom on this stalk only blooms once, and in the morning.  These attractive desert plants are commonly used in xeriscaping (desert landscaping with use of rocks and low-water plants).

Red Yucca - profile

A solo blossom catches the morning sun on this graceful stalk

Pink Duality

The bright fuchsia-colored blossoms on this desert shrub (I believe it is a type of sage, but I can't find an identity for it) are positioned to allow it to be seen from front and side.

"Star of Holland" in profile

This Dutch hybrid Hippaestrum (aka amaryllis) is showing off its two blossoms, with two more on the way.

"Star of Holland" - face forward

The detail of this striking flower is seen in this frontal view

Sequential 

The buds on this Englemann prickly pear cactus, found within SNP, are showing their various stages of the blooming process.