After checking on the irises last Friday, I went to hike Billy Goat A. I had one goal: get photos of eastern prickly pear cactus flowers. It wasn’t too long before I came across this underwhelming specimen. I had a look ’round and found more plants, but no more flowers. Figuring they needed another week, I hoisted the pack and continued along the trail.

And then suddenly I spotted this huge stand, blooming in the shade of a scrub pine (Pinus virginiana).

You can read more about Opuntia humifusa in this post from last August, (in which I wrote “it’s something to look forward to next summer” -success!). And read more about cacti in general in this post from March.

Many times I photograph a plant in order to show specific details, or give an accurate view of the plant for reference, so I try to get even exposure across the subject.

On this day, the flowers were glowing in the mid-morning sun, and the shadows cast by the plants heightened the effect.

All I wanted to capture was that beautiful yellow in the layers of translucent petals.

It was a busy day, so once finished I packed up the camera and headed back to the car. And then I spotted something completely new. Couldn’t get good photos (pressured for time, wind blowing, etc.), but I got enough to ID the plants later. Ends up they’re threatened and listed S1/highly state rare in Maryland. So guess what I’m doing this morning? More on that plant soon.