Cardon Cactus Forest

Russ Walls and his wife, Phyllis, from Portland, drove us out into the country outside of San Jose and Empalme to see the Cardon Cactus Forest.  Cardon cacti are the largest in the world.  They are frost intolerant, so don't grow in the states.   Some live to be 200 years old.  They can grow up to 20 meters high.  The youngest plants have spines but they disappear as the plant matures.  Can't wait to see the forest in bloom!

You could easily get lost among all the dirt roads out here but Russ (82!) has been
coming to Mexico since the fifties and drives like a man who knows what he's
doing.

The mountains of Guaymas in the background

Jim with Russ and Phyllis

You must be a very careful bird to make your nest here!

Some birds make nests in the holes shown here.

The cardon is known by its size, its many arms
and the fact that the arms grow out of the base
of the plant and not further up like the saguaro. 

This one is called the old man cactus.

It was flowering a little.

This is an ocotillo, with only a few flowers.

And a barrel cactus with shell (dropped by a bird?)

The community center of San Jose

Outside the church in San Jose

 Church windows in San Jose: