TA Tidbits #78 Early Bloomer

Dave and Ethan (authors of Animals & Plants of the Tortolita Preserve) let me know on 5/13/26 that one of the Queen of the Night cacti on the south side of the Tortolita Preserve (TP) was about ready to bloom. We all visited the Queen to try to catch the bloom, but we could not be there every night, and, unfortunately, we just missed it. Below are photos from the early morning of 5/17/26 showing the spent bloom, which is now forming the bright red fruit.

Note how the Queen of the Night cactus blends in with the surrounding natural environment, making it quite difficult to find.

There are other reported Queen of the Night cactus sightings within the TP, including the one that we relocated away from the trail on the north side (TA Tidbits #77).