Last updated: July 26, 2022
Place
Lost Mine Trail Stop #14
NPS/C.Negele
Quick Facts
Location:
Lost Mine Trail
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Look closely - hiding just to the right of, and almost beneath, the large agave is a claret cup cactus. Its name comes from the bright, waxy reddish-orange flowers seen each April and May. Hummingbirds are its primary pollinator. The vertical grooves in the stems of the claret cup allow them to expand like an accordian to store water. Like all cacti, the claret cup's leaves have been modfied into spines that provide some shade and protection from predators while reducing moisture loss.