Cactus flowers seem to be blooming earlier than usual this year, and ever so abundant!

The Claret Cup Hedge Hog bloomed in mid-May this season, and now the Beaver Tail is in full swing. In stock are several species with many flower buds on each plant, yellows, pinks, cream-salmon, chrome-orange, green, the colors are spectacular and lure the garden visitors into the mythical desert wonderland that is easy to create with these cold hardy, drought resistant, carefree cactus wonders.

The yuccas, too, are blooming earlier and more abundantly this year. Some plants have over twenty stems rising. Plant them in proximity to create the mythology of the desert right in your own yard.

Currently Dry Creek has a limited supply of many different cold hardy cacti in stock. They grow well in containers, too.

This Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), a member of the Agave Family, has been living in downtown Reno for five or six years. It commands a warm and sunny south facing spot, which it loves. Each spring it sends up several flower stalks that rise up above the leaves by at least two feet. Sometimes there are as many as ten flower stalks; other years less than half that amount.

Red Yucca is a hardy, drought tolerant, carefree evergreen perennial that's perfect for desert themed xeric landscapes and large rock gardens. The plant grows somewhat slowly, and will eventually become shrub-like, reaching a spread of up to five or six feet wide and three feet high.

In well drained soil, give your yucca a good occasional watering to encourage blooms. If your plant receives regular blasts of Nevada's drying winds, it will appreciate a drip line or weekly watering during the summer. The long lasting bright pink flowers are a major attraction to hummingbirds and the tall flower stalks make it easy to see when the hummingbirds make their rounds. Honeybees are also a frequent visitor. The flowers themselves last most of the summer, developing pods of flat black seeds that can be sprouted.

As the single plant spreads out, suckers will appear around the base that can be separated and planted elsewhere. You can propagate from seeds, too, although it will be several years before you'll be seeing flower stalks emerging.

Drycreek carries several varieties of yucca.

Sometimes called Beaked Yucca, Big Bend Yucca, Silver Yucca and Nordstrum's Yucca, Rostrata is a hardy evergreen, trunk-growing tree-like yucca that will take the dryness, the heat, the winter, the rocky soil and the occasional summer downpour. They establish themselves quickly and look spectacular reflecting light from the desert sun. Over its life span, the Rostrata can reach fifteen feet with multiple three foot wide, silver-green heads. The dead leaves remain on the plant, sheltering the trunk as it grows. The clustered white flowers, too, are stunning, emerging in late spring and early summer, reaching up to the sky on tall stems.

Rostrata roots very easily. Water regularly until established. This will help the plant extend roots deep enough to help it resist strong winds. Once established, watering should be very light. Feed the plant with an organic general purpose fertilizer in the spring.

This plant was utilized extensively by native cultures; the flowers for food, the spines for many uses including baskets, clothing and soap. The flower pedals are said to be quite tasty if harvested at the right time and great in salads. The fruit, if allowed to mature, can be used to make soups and other interesting dishes.

This spring Drycreek has a new crop of Rostrata in several sizes, as well as many other types of hardy Yucca.

Each year in spring, it seems both the Golden-crowned Kinglet and the Lesser Goldfinch make it a habit of collecting the hairy filaments off the leaves of several types of hardy yucca. We think the bird pictured here is a Dark-backed Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria), the smallest of the Carduelis species. This beautiful American seed eating songbird is common in the Sierra and is often seen in Reno backyards. They often gather in small groups around bird feeders and baths.

Interestingly, in 2009 UC Berkeley published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences about the effects of climate change on the birds of the Sierra Nevada. The study found that 48 out of 53 bird species studied actually migrated, following or "tracking" the climate the birds preferred. The study goes on to say the birds that didn't relocate, such as the Western Scrub-Jay, were ones able to live amongst the humans.

There has been local song bird action around this Perry's Agave and Hairy Yucca. It seems the Kinglets and other small birds like to snip the filaments for nest making.

Both of these pictured plants are cold hardy for our area (approximately zones 5 - 9). The yucca will grow to about twenty inches high with an almost three foot spread. The agave will grow to about 9 inches high. Both are beautiful plants and are great for rock gardens and other types of xeric landscaping.

The flower pedals of many different types of yucca are edible and some are considered to be delicious (no guarantees...). You can try putting freshly picked flower pedals into your summer salads. You can find recipes that call for harvesting the entire flower stalk as it emerges in late spring, early summer. The tips resemble the look of asparagus tips, but you won't get to see the flower stem bloom with this technique. Many types have long lasting flowers, some extending into late summer.

Apparently, especially in earlier times, many native American tribes utilized the yucca for food and for weaving, making baskets, weapons and clothing and also for making soap (hence the common name, Soapweed). Many Yucca types are incredibly easy to care for. Most do not uglify during the winter. They are natural born bird feeders and they will make your garden landscape look like you know and love the environment within which you live.

Joshua Trees are able to endure what humans would consider to be extremely harsh conditions. And yet, places and conditions humans consider to be sublime, Joshua Trees would find uncomfortable, unlivable. In their homeland, in the winter, the Joshua Tree easily endures subfreezing cold, snow covered, hard packed and rocky soil. But what they don't like is shade and they will die fairly fast if their roots stand in water.

This plant is a favorite of many, but it is truly a plant for adults. Adults Only. Their sharp dagger like leaves are unforgiving. The inevitable winner in any chance encounter, the spines can easily harm you. They can easily draw blood.

It's a good rule to be smart and respectful of the Joshua Tree. It is a fantastic plant that demands a well drained spot in the sun. It needs room to grow away from foot traffic and well away from kids and clumsy adults.

You can avoid the danger and still have the beauty and interest. We usually stock several hardy Yucca varieties that are much more child and clumsy person friendly and can safely and softly satisfy the Joshua Tree aesthetic. Many are also prolific producers of fantastic, long lasting, hummingbird loving flowers. We do occasionally stock Yucca brevifolia, but don't pass up varieties that are just as desert wonderful and not nearly as mean.