This past week four have opened so far, and many more are budding on the aboriginal prickly apples. The mahogany and rose colors on the hypanthium and sepals distinguish this species’ flowers. I’ll be mesh bagging others now that both species are in bloom at the same time, to avoid possible hybridizations. Here are the largest of both species of prickly apple and the mama Royen’s in their new “cactus cairn” raised stone beds. I’ll add onto the sides of this large round one a couple of smaller satellite beds with Consolea moniliformis, to make it a habitat garden.

One year later, the other Florida Harrisia species I’m growing has finally come into bloom! The aboriginal prickly apple cactus, Harrisia aboriginum, is sporting flower morphology true to description and with luck will produce bright yellow fruit. Because of habitat destruction, this endemic cactus is critically endangered and almost went extinct in it’s Southwest Florida coastal hammock range. The dedicated species tent, now called the Aboriginarium, will have to be built up higher as these are reaching 7-9ft tall and potentially twenty feet. It is quickly gaining popularity with Florida gardeners who can grow it in their yard sanctuaries. Last year’s Harrisia fragrans yielded a lot of the bright red…