Just as many wildflowers are beginning to fade, cactus blooms are showing up a bit early to keep deserts around Tucson colorful. Among the early bloomers are red and yellow cholla cactus flowers ...

The dazzling white blooms of saguaros and showy yellow palo verde trees get lots of attention at this time of year — but the often underrated blooms of cholla and prickly pear cacti are putting ...