Eastern Prickly Pear flowers are starting to open

For awhile now these buds have been growing, along with more paddles forming on the cactus. But now the buds are starting to open, many more to come.. These are just the first of dozens all over each of the cactus. And maybe if they get pollinated I will get some cactus fruit from them. But first they will flower, but usually fruit come after that.

Looks like a fly is waiting for me to leave so it can do exactly that, visit the flower and maybe help spread its pollen so the flowers will produce fruit. I hope many kinds of pollinators will visit these flowers. Maybe the hummingbirds, bees, wasps, flies and anything else that visits them has a change of helping them make fruit.

That is a pretty cool looking fly, its eyes have a spotted appearance on them.

Many of the other cacti in the pots are growing as well. Such as the brittle prickly pear plants. I see some old growth in there that has died back, guessing it will eventually break down on its own.. I do not dare to try to pull it out with my hands... If I was to attempt it I would use tongs and gloves. But I think the plant will handle it by itself.

With so much growth I think they are happy with their new baskets.. They looked like a mess just year ago, but I bought all new inserts for the pots. Fresh coco-coir to go in the hanging frame construction where the soil can be placed.

Looks like something munched on this cacti, now its heart shaped.. lol Its always cool seeing them form different shapes than the usual paddle design they are known for.

Those flowers look great, they are mostly yellow with some red variegation to it. From what I have read, the Eastern Prickly pear has variation in their color of their blossoms based on their location. Such as having more red in their blossoms east of the Appalachian Mountains. So I am curious if the native variety here in Virginia have more red. Compared to mine which I got from a nursery and chances are its more of the western variety.

When the buds are just about ready to open, the color goes from green to a slight yellow and then when they open its all yellow and a little red. When they first start to open they are mostly yellow but I do see some reds in there as well.

Some of them are just barely open, but soon they will all be open and attracting pollinators.

Looking forward to so many more coming up, soon enough I will see a bunch opening. And then hoping for some tasty fruit later on in the summer. Once the fruit grow I need to remove the spines and skin, and then they are ready to eat. I do not really like all the seeds in them, so maybe I will strain them out and make some kind of preserves with them.