[JohnR]

In late January I found myself in Phoenix AZ, and went for a walk through North Mountain Reserve. It became clear fairly soon that the theme of the day was going to be "cactus" So here are my favorites from that day. All photos taken with a Nikon D40 with kit lens. Actually I think that was the first time I used it for more than test shots.

Burning bush


A spiky character


A young plant


"Don't mess with me, bud"


Loner


The Sentinel

[Levi]

Did you see a Joshua Tree?   

[JohnR]

No... guess they are somewhere else - ?

[brj]

The deserts of California, mostly.  (Joshua Tree National Park is in CA as well.)

[nathanm]

Looks like you've gotta watch your step around there!  "The Sentinel" gets the nod here.  The light was right.

[JohnR]

Thanks, that was near the end of the walk and the sun was going down. Actually, when I was posting these I was thinking I really liked the "Loner" because of the contrast between the color of the cactus and the drabness of its surroundings. That wasn't intentional, actually, and in retrospect I wish I had gotten a wider shot of that guy.

[jqp]

Mexico City, Botanical Garden in Chapultepec Park

[JohnR]

Hey jqp, I missed your post here. Are you traveling there? Let's see more.

[Thebiker]

Route 93 from the Hoover Dam down towards Wickenburg, AZ is known as the Joshua Tree Hwy.  Like many of the desert plants, elevation is the key to what grows where. 

Joshua Tree National Monument is a great example of this.  You travel through the higher elevations and you are in part of the Mojave, drop down a bit and you move into the "transitional zone" where the plant life is different.  Drop down some more and you move into the Sonoran and the plant life changes again, including Joshua trees.  Very cool place and photo ops . 

I have spent a bit of time in that part of the world, about 8 or 9 trips in the last 20 years and I have become very grateful for digital cameras.....it seemed like I never had enough film to be happy.

[goldlizsts]

The deserts of California, mostly.  (Joshua Tree National Park is in CA as well.)

Go to San Diego area to get close to Joshua Tree NP.