We made our way back to the trailhead. Even though the sun was still relatively low in the sky, it was REALLY getting hot out.
This is the fruit of the Desert Christmas Cactus. The fruit is ripe around December which, when consumed, can have an intoxicating effect.
Prickly Pears are armed with two kinds of spines: large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike ones that easily detach from the plant and penetrate the skin. The cactus is popular for its edible fruit so it needs to be able to defend itself.
Palo Verde (meaning green wood in Spanish) loses its leaves in winter. Therefore, the trunk and branches become responsible for photosynthesis. The green color comes from chlorophyll. Now, the tree doesn't have to shut down completely and can still store up energy in its roots.
We drove into Tucson and found a nice, cool store that had internet in order to pass some time out of the heat. Eventually we made our way up to Catalina State Park, where we set up the tent and enjoyed the fading colors of the evening.
