Other cacti that were coming into bloom during April included prickly pear, barrel, and teddy bear cholla. The prickly pear and barrel are more common in the lower desert near Cottonwood Springs where they are common in the rocks along the washes. The spines of teddy bear cholla are the most fearsome critter I have ever had the misfortune of running into. It bites back hard. Most cactus flowers don't last very long.
Many blossoms only open for one day and that's it.
Fortunately, each clump of cacti tends to have many buds so they bloom over a fairly long time. Most cactus flowers are only open during the day although Mojave mound cactus blossom do remain open at night. This means most cactus flowers aren't open in good early morning light. Instead, you have to wait till at least mid-morning for them to open. That usually means you have to photograph them in harsh sunlight.