• View from the Canyon Rim Trail. Photo by Jeff Kochevar

    Colorado

    National Monument Colorado

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  • Rim Rock Drive is OPEN - Visitor Center is OPEN 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Rim Rock Drive is OPEN Be on the lookout for Desert Bighorn Sheep along Rim Rock Drive. There also may be minor traffic delays near the East Entrance over the coming weeks. Watch for construction flaggers on the roadway.

Fish-hook Cactus

Fish-hook Cactus
 

Fish-Hook Cactus (Sclerocactus parviflorus)

Other Names: smallflower fish-hook cactus, eagleclaw cactus, devil claw cactus

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Description: single stems are 4 inches thick and up to 10 inches tall. Stems have 13-15 spiral ribs with spines clustered in areoles, each of which contains 4 central spines and 7-11 radial spines. Pink or purple flowers are produced throughout April and May.

Range: occurs throughout Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. Look for it growing in Colorado National Monument's eastern regions, especially at lower elevations on metamorphic rock.

Did you know: the fish-hook cactus's scientific name, Sclerocactus ("hard cactus" in Greek), refers to this cactus's hard, dry fruit. At maturity, the reddish fruit of the fish-hook cactus splits irregularly, releasing small dark brown or black seeds.

Did You Know?

Independence Monument

Colorado National Monument's Independence Monument is 450 feet tall from its base to its top. The top of Independence Monument is 5,739 feet in elevation.