In Bud
Parodia ottonis
This little bud will open into a large and pretty yellow flower. This little plant will have about 6 flowers this year. Parodias are very popular with the local bee population. Not as popular as the Echinocereuses of course, but popular enough that they have their own myspace page.
Some say they will get to 6″ diameter, while others claim they will slowly pup. I do not support such reckless claims until I have seen them myself. I have only ever seen this particular parodia at about 3″ across. However, they are not all solitary, but some have already begun to pup. Therefore I come to the conclusion that I can believe what the books tell me or I can believe my lying eyes.
Speaking of which, I have started wearing reading glasses this year. I still have good distant vision, still being the first one to see street signs coming up, but now I can’t read a friggin’ menu without my costco reading glasses.