Grusonia parishii
Ground mat cholla

Illustrator: © 2010 Gigi Wilson
Pen and Ink

Arizona Cactaceae and Intermountain Flora

The first time I saw this specimen I was stunned because of all spines. This was indeed a challenge to do. It tends to be just a large mass of spines, but when you get down into it there is so much more.

Dr. Pinkava is the author on this cactus, so I consulted with him many times to get it right. One time I asked him why he loved this cactus so much, and his reply was simply that someone has to. After that conversation I would learn to look at all plants no matter what they are with a new interest, even the lowly weed.