Hello Peter,
not everything here in Texas is big. At least not when it comes to cacti. There Arizona has us beat by a good margin.
StrUktO,
I am not sure about the age of the E. texensis plant. It was about 4 inches across when I rescued it from the incinerator. That was in 1986 or early 1987. Now it measures 17 cm (about 7 inches across). My other plant has a diamter of 20 cm (8 inches). That is the one that used to flower but has not done so in years.
Well, there were a few open flowers today. Both showed up on prickly pear cacti. The first one was a red flower produced by a plant I received from the former curator of the local Plant Rescue Center. It is most likely some kind of hybrid. Unfortunately, the two blossoms were already closed. Perhaps this Friday I can photograph an open one.
![Image](http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/hegar/RedOpuntia2-12a.jpg)
Also flowering the first day was my Opuntia violacea.
![Image](http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/hegar/Oviolacea3-12a.jpg)
I was not aware of the terrible light conditions that show one side of the plant with its blossoms overexposed, while the other half is lit correctly. When I used the macro setting, however, both blossoms pictured are fine.
Actually, the formerly overexposed duo turned out to be nicer, because the background is darker.
Harald