Finally, After Five Years

About five years ago, we were given a non-descript little cactus in a medium-sized tupperware container. We were told the cactus had amazing red blooms. Although most of our front yard is landscaped with native plants, we didn't have any cactus, so we kept the little guy going in its tupperware for awhile, and a few years later moved it up to a much larger planter once the roots cracked through the brittle plastic container. Year after year we patiently waited for the fabled red blooms, wondering if we were giving the right amount of water, or if we needed to fertilize the cactus due to a lack of nutrients in the planter. Finally this spring, we were pleasantly surprised with what initially looked like some sort of parasitic growth on the cactus spines. The cactus is now in full bloom with nine red blossoms, and they are truly magnificent!