Finding food in the desert is a prickly business and because the food is hard won the plants arm themselves with an array of spikes and thorns to ensure they are not over browsed.
The mistletoe berries are a bonanza for numerous bird species and insects.
The Cholla fruit must taste really good to brave these ferocious spines.
The setting sun creates the illusion that it softens the spines - don't be deceived!
Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods.
13 comments:
You took great shots of the thorns... in fact my fingers are practically bleeding just thinking about them!:)
Nice collection of thorns...something I don't see here at all. Interesting as I didn't think about mistletoe having berries.. Thank you for linking to Nature Notes Celeste....Michelle
I guess with those thorns it would make it hard for the critters to eat. They are a lovely plants and the berries are pretty. Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing.
Great shots of desert plants! The thorns look intimidating but the berries look most tempting!
I love the varied textures!
beautiful shots
Love those pictures. Yes, those thorns are deceptive. In fact, I swear they leap off the bush and get me when I'm only close by! I pulled 3 out of my dog's paws after yesterdays walk. Nasty things.
Funny you should say that EGWow, my fingers and any other part of me that I am too careless with, often is bleeding when I am moving amongst these ferocious plants!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for hosting Nature Notes it is such a neat idea and it is open enough that there is always a huge diversity of topics covered :)
Thanks Eileeninmd,
It does boggle my mind how the animals manage to feed on these plants, having been scratched and spiked by them on numerous occasions I can't even imagine putting my mouth anywhere near them!!!
Nature Rambles,
Thanks for stopping by :) The thorns certainly are intimidating!
Thanks Dianne and thanks for visiting my blog too :)
Ouch! Poor dog - Barb, I hope he was OK. Those thorns certainly are fearsome when you get too close.
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