Varieties of desert cactus in the American West, circa 1940
- Subject
- Forests & Trees
- Card type
- Linen
About this postcard
A composite, hand-colored view of desert vegetation in which each plant is identified by a small printed label: ocotillo, yucca, cholla, pincushion, barrel cactus, saguaro, mescal, Joshua tree, hedgehog, prickly pear, buckhorn, rainbow and totem pole cacti, set against distant blue mountains. Such labeled 'varieties' cards were a staple of mid-century roadside souvenir publishing, presenting the Sonoran and Mojave desert flora of the American Southwest as a single assembled scene rather than one photographed location. The card carries the caption 'TEX. 8:-Varieties of Desert Cactus in the West.'
Postcard Details
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Postcard record
| Publisher | Dallas Post Card Co. |
|---|---|
| Series | TEX. 8 |
| Condition | Very good |
| Place mentioned | Metrocraft, Everett, MA |
| Publisher | Dallas Post Card Co., Dallas, TX |
| Notes | White border; visible linen/canvas texture in the sky and margins; printed plant labels over the image; card number 43590 at lower right. No postmark. Divided-back linen-era card with white border; printed imprint for Dallas Post Card Co. and Metrocraft, Everett Mass. Light soiling and toning on the back. |
Cite this card
Varieties of desert cactus in the American West, circa 1940, postcard, c. 1930. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/varieties-of-desert-cactus-in-the-american-west-circa-1940. Accessed October 25, 2026.