Monday, December 30, 2013

Buffalo Bill’s Exotic Cactus Ranch, again (yawn….)

During our mid-September trip to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, we stopped in at my fav, Buffalo Bill’s Exotic Cactus Ranch...

Or rather we stopped by twice. The first time they were closed due to the flooding

Flooding caused by monsoon rains, which made these ocotillo look wonderful with their lush green leaves...

The second time we stopped by, they were open! I think Andrew is pointing at that fabulous Pachypodium lamerei...

The *yawn* in the title of this post is making fun of Andrew who, when he saw me taking pictures, asked “You aren’t going to post about this place again are you?”

The answer was yes, of course! Sure I posted about our visit last January but that was months ago...

Bad blurry picture but I had to include it if only to mention that I finally bought one, Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate Soldier'...

I bought a much smaller version of this Euphorbia trigona 'Ruby' when we visited in 2011, sadly it's dead now. It never really recovered from being shipped home.

This was my other purchase for this trip, Mammillaria gracilis var. fragilis...

Opuntia rufida minima monstrose (Mini Cinnamon Cactus)

The laminated sign in the center of this grouping reads "Landscape Outdoor Cacti," I think the owner is trying to inspire the locals to plant...

I used to not care for the woody base of old opuntia, but I've grown to admire them.

This amazing hot pink cactus (there were several) had no label. I tried to get a name from the owner but he was busy with a couple who were picking out curiosities to take home.

The female half of the couple later dumped her purchases on the ground as they were leaving. She managed to catch one of them with her hand, which was then covered in glochids, not a great introduction to cactus!

Echinopsis melanopotamica

There were so many things I wanted to take home with me!

But once again we were flying and had limited ability to return home with plant purchases.

Someday...

In the mean time I'll always have the pictures...

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

26 comments:

  1. Such a fabulous nursery! What a bummer that you couldn't bring anything home.

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    1. Oh I brought a couple of small things, that's always doable. It's the big spikes that had to stay behind.

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  2. We should go on a road trip together--in our cars so we can load them up with wonderful plants (and, in my case, rocks), LOL!

    The red cactus looks like Echinocereus rigidissimus ssp. rubispinus, the Arizona rainbow hedgehog.

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    1. Can you imagine!? I can see we'd probably encourage each others purchasing and we'd need vans. Danger!

      Thanks for the Echinocereus I.D., Gerhard I never cease to be amazed at your plant knowledge.

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  3. You can never post too much about a cool place like this! It's about the band, Elwood! I mean, it's about the plants, Andrew!

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    1. How not cool am I? I had to look up that reference...

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  4. Maybe next time you should drive - and bring a trailer. I can see why this place holds a fascination for you with all those "dangerous" plants. The hot pink one is really something!

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    1. We planned to drive once. A huge circuitous route that had us going through both NM and AZ. Can you even imagine the plants? In the end we had to fly because the time off from work to drive all the way was just to much. Still, maybe someday...

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  5. That hot pink cactus made us both say wow! And keep posting away whenever you visit the same place again, there will always be something new to look at!

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  6. Hahahahahaha...I think I've heard Andrew's question quite a bit here as well...from Norm. They'll never understand, will they ;-)

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    1. Grass, why do you need another grass? Or my favorite..."don't you already have that one?"

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  7. Well of course you had to post that nursery again...totally different from winter to our monsoon season. Documenting that change or dancing out in it is the sign of a *real* desert person! Warmed me up for a few moments seeing that sky and huge ocotillo leaves.

    P.S. - I hope you try Sophora secundiflora in the last pic. It's flower buds survive through winter to near 0F lows, to bloom in spring - the scent is better than grape bubble-yum...

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    1. The change from January to September was incredible, one I'm glad I got to see.

      Good to know you about the cold hardiness of that Sophora, everything I've read online had me thinking it was quite a bit more tender.

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  8. Imagine what you could take home if you drove there. Until you mentioned it I thought the yawn might be from the locals who probably drive by there and wonder (as I once did) "who would buy a cactus".

    There's always something new to see at a special nursery like that one. The ocotillo look awesome.

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    1. You make a good point, I'm sure most of the town probably hasn't even been there.

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  9. Where there's a will.....
    We once flew to Las Vegas (which I detest) so I found a great cactus nursery north of town, bought a large number of cool specimens, took them back to my hotel room, bought a a large suitcase from Goodwill for $2, dumped the pots and soil, and packed them for the flight home!
    Dale Latham

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    1. Being able to send them bare-root is definitely a nice benefit to buying cactus and I bet if I bought a big suitcase the $25 fee for checking would be cheaper than shipping the same amount home. I WILL be looking into this, next time.

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  10. Echinopsis melanopotamica looks like it came out of a horror movie. It's delightful looking, topped with those black spikes! I hope you're able to visit and 'shop' someday soon!

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    1. Looking ahead at a long grey January in Oregon a nice sunny visit to NM would be fabulous! Probably not going to happen this year...

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  11. That poor woman who caught the Cactus in her hand--ouch! I can see why you would post about your visit ... again. ;-) That place has a serious collection of wonderful Cactuses. I had to chuckle when I read your title and the reason for it. Thanks for the tour!

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    1. Andrew tried to help her and said there were so many glochids in her hand he didn't know where to start...

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  12. That pink one is incredible! And the story about the lady dropping (and catching one of) her purchases made me laugh out loud at work. Cacti+yawn? Never!

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    1. I always love to hear when something I post makes someone laugh out loud, especially at work! (makes the others wonder). Thanks!

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  13. That cinnamon cactus is adorable! Thanks for posting again, there's no yawning here.

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  14. AnonymousMay 30, 2014

    I think you'll find that the 'hot pink cactus' is a Echinocereus rigidissimus var. rubrispinus. Google it, and you'll find many pictures.

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