Cholla

This is the flower of the cholla cactus, the "jumping cactus," with needles sharper than most cacti. If you brush near it, the end of the thorns puncture their sheaths then puncture you. The thorns have barbs that, more than once, we had to remove with pliers from our family dogs. The first hike I remember as a child, my father very painstakingly pointed out the cholla to us and warned us of its lurking nature, but I know I had a thornectomy as did the family dog.

It sprouts prolifically in the desert because when needles drop off, new plants grow. A very savvy cactus.