Life And Death Of Cactus Flowers

A cactus flower lives.  A cactus flower had once lived.

Today there is a flower but by late this afternoon, before the sun begins to set, the flower will begin to close.  By tomorrow morning it will have completely wilted.  

In about a day, it will fall off the cactus.  

Life is fleeting in the desert.


Eventually, the top will heal and that little  section of "stem" will become purple and the ripe fruit of the cactus. The fruit, often called a fig because of its appearance, can be used to make candies, jelly, or drinks such as vodka or lemonade.