A Day in the Life of an Argentine Giant

                 Argentine Giants (Echinopsis candicans)  are cacti that look very dull and ordinary all year.   But when they bloom, they are spectacular.  Often they bloom at night, and by morning they are already looking a bit old.  But yesterday morning I caught them when the blooms were just about ready to open.

       All day we checked on them.   By late afternoon, the blooms had opened.  These flowers are at their prime, only a few hours old.

The flowers are large, about 5 inches across.

Giants Among Us: Argentine Giants in Bloom

We have two Argentine Giants in our yard. When they are not in bloom, they look drab. The kind of plant you walk past without noticing. But when they bloom, they are spectacular.

This one is at the back of the yard and has grown a lot since I took this photo a few years ago.

You have to be quick to get the blooms at their peak. They are at their best for only a day or two--but what a show!