At the entrance of the neighborhood, once again this year, a splendid peacock cactus is blooming. With its flower resembling the spread wings of a peacock, it seems fittingly named. However, rather than associating it with a peacock, it reminds me of the sun. It becomes even more intriguing considering that it originates from the desert regions of Central and South America. Glossy, translucent petals overlap and form an elegant shape, while delicate stamens, resembling silk threads, surround and protrude from the pistil, creating an appearance akin to a goddess of shamans. Deep within the core of the flower, there is an eternal depth, resembling a black hole, and if you gaze at it for too long, you may feel a mesmerizing illusion as if being drawn into it. In the same family as the peacock cactus, there is a cactus flower called “moonlight beauty,” which seems to represent the universe with its two flowers, the sun and the moon. By the way, the English name for the peacock cactus is Orchid Cactus (a cactus resembling an orchid).

ご近所の玄関先に、今年も見事なクジャクサボテンが花を咲かせています。羽を広げた孔雀の様な花の姿からクジャクと頭に付いたのでしょうが、孔雀と言うよりもやはり太陽を連想します。中南米の砂漠地帯を原産地とすると言うから尚更です。光沢のある透けるような薄い花びらが重なって整形をなし、絹糸のような繊細な雄蕊を群れ従えて突き出た雌蕊はシャーマンの女神の様です。花芯の奥はブラックホールの様に永遠の奥行きがあり、じっと見ていると吸い込まれそうな錯覚に囚われます。クジャクサボテンと同じ仲間に月下美人と言うサボテンの花がありますが、太陽と月、二つの花で宇宙を表している様に思えます。ちなみに、クジャクサボテンの英名はオーキッド・カクタス(ランのようなサボテン)と言います。