Al Braden Photographer

Big Bend's cactus blooms call attention to pollinators scouring the desert for nutrients. Their bold flower stand out in the dry Chihuahuan Desert. Most bloom in spring and early summer, but some varieties hold out for the August and September rainy season and beyond. Eleven galleries and over 200 photos show some of the variety and beauty of Big Bend's cacti.

Beautiful desert shrubs dominate the Big Bend landscape in their respective seasons - Red Ocotillo, Purple Sage and Yellow Bells. These highlights are among the many shrub species that thrive in the many Big Bend habitats. Five photo galleries highlight the varied and colorful shrubs of Big Bend National Park.

Wildflowers astound first time visitors to Big Bend who look out at the vast desert and expect to see nothing but snakes. Bring a little rain and the vast seed bank sends up amazing blooms. Some like the Big Bend Bluebonnets and Desert Marigolds are well known, other species send me looking for help to even identify them. All are a gift of the Chihuahua Desert. Three photo galleries cover Big Bend's wildflowers: Bluebonnets, Beauties and those I still need to identify.

Yuccas produce classic desert flowers and Big Bend hosts four important species. These dramatic plants and flowers produce iconic landscapes. Each of these four galleries highlights one of the premier yucca families found in Big Bend National Park.

Many other desert species are found in Big Bend and none more prominent that the Agaves and Sotols. Each adds dramatic flowers in their own season. These four galleries give my best photos of each.