Thank you. I'll be sure to use that forum when I need ID assistance again. The area where this flower is will eventually be cleared out, and I'll be putting gravel there. I've decided to try to salvage the random nice flowers that pop up there from time to time-particularly hummingbird friendly plants. A couple months ago I found some nice garden phlox and put it in a flowerbed in our yard.

Thanks on the ID of the first one. I further IDed it to Cyperus Retrorsus The second Is very hearty. The stem resembles a twig, and it takes quite a bit of force to pull that tap root out of the ground. Could it be some type of wild shrub? Edit: Found this vacant lot with 3 foot tall versions of this stuff... Check the links and pics This post was edited by kb850 on Sat, May 11, 13 at 17:50

I think E. corollata is probably it, there is a lot of this plant growing in this area and I have photographed it often but in apparent later stages of growth; I think the unusual appearance of the flower and the overall shape of the plant is what threw me off but looking at some of my other E. corollata photos at the base of the plant, the leaf shape and habit seem to match this. I may try to confirm this later this spring and see if I can find some more plants in the same stage of growth. Thanks all.

The Aloe is likely a hybrid. The Euph. looks to possibly be a monstrose form of some sp.. 6. I think is a Gymnocalycium sp. 7. Looks like an Aeonium in form. Some sedums have this form, but are usually not this large. 8. You may be able to I.D. this Mammillaria at the CactiGuide site. Look for Mamms that bifurcate vs. ones that stay single. It looks like a common one so you should be able to find it. Sorry I don't have any complete I.D.'s but maybe the leads will help.