Cactus at the Botanical Gardens -- up close and personal

I am always amazed at the variety of forms of cactus and succulents. Few places in the world offer the opportunity to see so many different desert plants than the Desert Botanical Gardens. Located off of McDowell Road next to Papago Park, between Phoenix and Scottsdale, the DBG is a wonderland of shapes and forms.

Although there is not yet a complete catalog of every cactus species, some remain to be discovered, there are presently more than 2000 different species. Within the species there are huge variations.

Technically, this agave is not a cactus, but is a succulent.