A Bird's Nest

GermanStar · Post by **GermanStar** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:44 pm

...in the center of a freaky 6'+ tall F. wislizenii that pups instead of flowers.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:34 pm

hmm, that is unique. I have never seen one that big like that before. It's some sorta weird monstrose form or something. I suspect that the growth point gets nailed (probably down there by cold) and it gross those weird things around the apex of the dead growth point. However that is the largest one I have ever seen like that.

GermanStar · Post by **GermanStar** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:56 pm

No, it simply pups rather than flowers. I've seen others like it, just none this big. Look at the biggest pup on top, it is also pupping rather than flowering. And I agree, the pups aren't quite right, seeming rather monstrose.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:00 pm

if that were the case tho, wouldn't it start the pups lower to the ground???

I am no expert but once the growth tips die they don't bloom, or so it seems to me.
It is producing pups on the pups tho which is interesting.

GermanStar · Post by **GermanStar** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:07 pm

No, Feros only flower on top, right? At least mine do. What growth tips died?

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:11 pm

on ones I have seen up close the top becomes montrose and it's montrose from the growth points to a ring around the apex. I dunno maybe they do pup instead of flower, but at the same time, it started blooming WAY before it was 6 feet tall.

Or do the pups die and fall off or something from the lower stem?

GermanStar · Post by **GermanStar** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:13 pm

The pups usually form on top and then stay on top. I've never seen a Fero shoot a flower out its side. Although there is a Fero in the neighborhood that has three pups shooting straight out its side, which seems completely normal otherwise.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:27 pm

yeah well what my point was is that if it had been damaged years go when it was say 4 feet tall it would look different.

IT wouldn't be as tall.
And I have seen ONE of those feros like that bloom on the sides of the monstrose like growths.

It looked sorta like the E. texenisis that Harald has. It had a single weird growth like one of those pups on the side of it with A single (fairly fresh) seedpod on there. I couldn't take any of the seeds tho because it was on BLM land.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:00 am

That is one cool cactus

Post by **daiv** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 4:40 am

Safe spot for a nest!

GermanStar · Post by **GermanStar** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:17 pm

I'll say, I'm guessing Cactus Wren. Though come to think of it, it may be vulnerable to other birds, i.e. Ravens and Hawks.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:15 pm

I will guess a Dove species of some sort.

tumamoc · Post by **tumamoc** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:53 pm

I agree with PTCG, dove nest. A few years back, I came across a nest on a ca. 3-ft-high Fero wiz with a sunken crest. It had a momma dove and a couple of hatchlings. I regret not taking a photo of it.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:37 pm

hehe,
yeah I saw a Dove's nest on a broken limb of a saguaro. (it was frozen and fell off near the stem after it got snow on it) But within a few weeks it was gone.

BTW I am pretty sure it isn't a Cactus Wren because they like enclosed nests.
(at least all the ones I have seen have been enclosed around them)

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:15 am

here are some pictures of the plant I was trying to describe. Notice it had buds on it from last year!

Close up of one of the pups. Is that a flower bud on it?

Last years flower buds and the growth point at the top of the plant. It sure is ugly, but it's neat.

A slightly younger fero that is undamaged. There was one somewhere else that was kinda half damaged. I think cold did that to those. I think it killed (or damaged severely) the growth point and then it pups out all crazy like that. However I am no expert so maybe something else happens to make them like that.