Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery Entrance

So I had a relative visiting recently and we made the rounds of some of my favorite places in and near Las Vegas.  High among those is Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery, which as the name implies is near the town of Blue Diamond, right off the highway that goes through Red Rock Canyon.

A few of the cactuses at Cactus Joe’s

There are so many things to love about Cactus Joe’s!  There are over 7 acres of stuff there, including cactuses, pots and garden décor of all kinds.  The folks who work there are very knowledgeable about the plants they carry, and they take good care of their customers.  We were there at midday in the summer, and they came around handing out free bottled water to everyone.  How cool is that?

A few pots…

They also carry lots of cactus varieties that are native to the Mojave desert.  These tend to be smaller than the cactuses that thrive in the Sonora desert.  For example, the giant Saguaro cactus is native to the Sonora desert, but not to the Mojave.  Cactuses native to the Mojave include many varieties of Cholla, as well as Hedgehog, Beavertail, Red Barrel, and Claret Cup, among many others.  Many of these varieties are protected plant species, so you can’t just go out into the desert and gather them (not legally anyway).  Never fear; where applicable, Cactus Joe’s will provide a certificate so you can prove you obtained the native species properly.  They carry Saguaros and many other cactus varieties as well.

Painting and wall décor

It is such a fun place!  They have a gift shop, and many small buildings filled with various intriguing items, from offbeat signs, to rocks and crystals, to handmade sculpture and art work.  The outsides of the buildings are adorned with a variety of paintings and decorative works.  There is also at least one cat hanging around, probably more…  The one we encountered was very friendly and allowed us to pet him as he lazed about on one of the garden benches.

The gift shop

I’d recommend Cactus Joe’s to anyone visiting Las Vegas.  It’s a unique place, ever changing yet always retaining its quirky regional charm.

Here is the link to Cactus Joe’s web site:

http://www.cactusjoeslasvegas.com/

Well until next time,

Good luck to ya!