Year of the Yucca

 As mentioned many times over the last few months, this year's spring rains have afforded lots of opportunities to admire wildflowers. But in reality I never really think of the prairie as being in bloom until the yucca and the prickly pear burst forth. This is that week! Suddenly our land is a sea of white blossoms.

 Yucca plants provide protection and food for a number of species. This lark sparrow is enjoying having a perch with a view.

Yucca leaves and seed pods are edible and in years of poor forage the deer and antelope will often munch on the buds. This year there is so much else to eat that it is only the ants and aphids that seem to be harvesting the yucca sugar.

The plant to the left is so laden with blooms that it can't stand straight!

 Each plant has multiple stems this year, taking advantage of the excess moisture to make lots of seeds.

Some flowers have much redder coatings than others, providing a little bit of color in an otherwise white world!