A saguaro can only be found in The Arizona Center, which also houses a number of eateries, businesses, and shops. Make sure to stop by for a quick photo with Prickles, our favorite saguaro, if you’re staying in one of downtown Phoenix’s hotels or attending a meeting at the Phoenix Convention Center.
Identifying Features
One of the species that characterizes the Sonoran Desert is the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). These plants are huge, tree-like columnar cacti, some of which never sprout arms or branches as they age. There may be over 25 of these arms, which often curve upward. Protective spines cover saguaros, which also have white blooms in the late spring and red fruit in the summer.
Habitat
Only the Sonoran Desert is home to saguaros. Temperature and water are the two main elements that affect growth. The saguaro can be killed by frost and cold weather if the height is too high. Although both winter and summer rains occur in the Sonoran Desert, it is believed that the Saguaro receives the majority of its moisture during the summer rainy season.
Range
This cactus can be found in western Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona. They are more common on the warmer south-facing hills in the northern part of their range. Southeast California is also home to a few stray flora.
Size
Cactus called saguaro grow very slowly. A 10 year old plant might only be 1.5 inches tall. Saguaro trees can reach heights of 40 to 60 feet (12-18m). When the saguaro is well-hydrated and there is plenty of rain, it can weigh between 3200 and 4800 pounds.
Quick Facts
The majority of the saguaro plant’s roots are merely 4-6 inches deep and extend outward as far as its height from the plant. One deep root, or tap root, penetrates the ground more than two feet deep.
When a saguaro dies, its woody ribs can be utilized to make furniture, fences, and roofs. Among the dead saguaros are the “saguaro boots,” or holes where birds formerly built their nests. Native Americans used these as water containers long before the canteen was available.
Where in Arizona can you find a big cactus?
In Tucson, Arizona, you may find the biggest cacti in the country. The enormous saguaro cactus is the common representation of the American West. Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the contemporary city of Tucson, provides protection for these magnificent plants, which are only present in a limited section of the United States. Here, you can see these giant cacti that are beautifully silhouetted by a stunning desert sunset.
Desert Botanical Garden
One of the highlights of the desert valley, the Desert Botanical Garden, is only 15 minutes from downtown Phoenix. You may get a wonderful overview of the wonders of desert plant life in this special garden. It also has a single crested saguaro (it used to have three). Although the remaining crested saguaro is rather tall, it is difficult to see the exquisite details of the crest up close. One of the five sections of the garden’s walk virtually ends there. Plan your journey to see it and your visit accordingly.
Carefree Desert Gardens
Phoenix’s downtown is around 40 minutes away from Carefree, Arizona. The small suburban community takes great pleasure in its Carefree Desert Gardens, which is located in the middle of it. It has the well-known Carefree Sundial, formerly the largest sundial in the United States at 90 feet. One young, tall crested saguaro is among a group of plants nestled away in the southeasterly corner of the garden plaza, next to the kids’ playground.
Cave Creek Regional Park And Frontier Town
Cave Creek, Arizona, a twin city of Carefree, is notable for its Cave Creek Regional Park and Frontier Town, an Old West-themed shopping and entertainment district. Just off the road, there is a crested saguaro. From Carefree Desert Gardens, take Cave Creek Road southeast for approximately 14 miles, turn right onto North Bartlett Dam Road, continue for another six miles before turning left onto North Horseshoe Dam Road, continuing for an additional three miles. Other than after Mile 3, the road is paved. About 50 yards up the tiny hill to your left, when you stop and turn to look, you will notice a very mature but stunning single shield topped saguaro.
Arizonian RV Resort
A few miles from the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Arizona’s largest botanical park, the entrance to the Arizonian RV Resort is home to my favorite crested saguaro. This is in the village of Gold Canyon, which is only 20 minutes from sizable malls and 45 minutes east of Phoenix’s central business district. Because it is a short and substantial saguaro, you can easily ponder the intricate details of its crest.
Near Phoenix, are there saguaro cacti?
You’ve arrived in Phoenix, so it only makes sense that you’d like to see a saguaro cactus for the ideal selfie or photo opportunity. One of the most recognizable representations of the American Southwest is this desert flora, thus it’s crucial to see one in person. Fortunately, saguaro cacti can be found almost everywhere in Phoenix, whether you’re in the city or on a walk.
Learn more about the saguaro cactus, what makes it special, and where to find one when visiting Phoenix in the information provided below.
Do saguaro cacti grow in Sedona?
No matter which route you choose, there are no saguaros between Sedona and Vegas. Joshua trees are present. Black Canyon City, I think, is about as far north as they go. But that’s actually out of the way.
In Flagstaff, are there saguaro cacti?
1. In response to: In Northern Arizona, where can I find a saguaro cactus? I-17 south is the greatest option for you to take. You will run across saguaro approximately halfway between Flagstaff and Phoenix, deviating from your original plans.
Where in Arizona is the biggest saguaro cactus?
The saguaro is a type of columnar cactus with distinctive branches that are often referred to as arms. On a single plant, more than 50 arms may develop, with one specimen having 78 arms. [6] Saguaros can reach heights of 316 m (1052 ft) and a diameter of up to 75 cm (30 in). Although they grow slowly, they typically last 150 to 200 years. In America, they are the biggest cactus. [7] [8]
Saguaros’ pace of growth is highly dependent on precipitation; those in western Arizona, which is dryer, grow only half as quickly as those in and around Tucson. Saguaros grow slowly from seed; after two years, they might only be 6.4 mm (14 in) tall. [7] Cuttings hardly ever take root, and when they do, they skip the juvenile growth stage, which results in a distinctive appearance. [9] The largest known living saguaro in the United States, measuring 13.8 m (45 ft 3 in) high with a girth of 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) and an estimated age of 200 years, has been listed on the National Register of Champion Trees since 2014[update]. It was damaged in the 2005 Cave Creek Complex Fire but has since recovered. [10] [11] The tallest saguaro ever measured was a species without arms discovered close to Cave Creek, Arizona. Before a windstorm in 1986 caused it to tumble, it was 78 feet (23.8 meters) tall. When rain is plentiful and the saguaro is completely hydrated, it can weigh anywhere between 1,500 and 2,200 kg. Saguaros are stem succulents (3,200 and 4,800 lb). [8] [7]
In Yuma, Arizona, are saguaro cactus present?
Yuma, which is in southwest Arizona and has a view of the Colorado River, is a desert paradise for cactus and succulent lovers. The city is a great environment to grow succulents both inside and outside due to the absence of frost in the winter.
The Yuma Conservation Garden, a stunning 28-acre desert setting, is the perfect place to see native vegetation if you’re interested in doing so. The Saguaro Cactus is one of the many native plants found in the Garden. Tours are offered upon request, and it’s a fantastic location to view the desert landscape.
Considering that purchasing succulents will probably be your first goal while visiting Yuma, be sure to visit all of the wonderful nurseries nearby. One of the best sites in town to find succulents and cacti is the Classy Cactus Nursery. If you’re looking for larger plants or those that can thrive outdoors in the Arizona sun, this is the place to go because they specialize in offering plants for landscaping.
Another fantastic source to find native plants for your own garden is Yuma Nursery Supply. Ask for some guidance if you need it; their staff is educated about every species they sell. While you’re there, pick up some soil or fresh containers as they also sell gardening and nursery materials.
Where in Scottsdale can I find cacti?
The rangers at McDowell Mountain Regional Park, a 20,000-acre county park in the northeastern portion of the Valley, provide information about the Saguaro, the state’s most imposing cactus, as well as sunset hikes and reptile feeding excursions. You may take a leisurely half-mile walk and discover anything from the lifespan of the Saguaro to whether you can get water from it for $6 (unless you have a park pass) and an hour of your time.
Is there a national park for saguaros?
Two “districts,” one to the east and one to the west of Tucson, make up Saguaro National Park.
Even though they are only 30 miles apart, these areas have different geological and biological characteristics. Large saguaro stands are what they have in common.
Visitors can get a different perspective of the saguaros’ Sonoran Desert habitat by stopping by both areas.
In order to preserve a substantial stand of mature saguaros, the Rincon Mountain District, east of Tucson, was designated a national monument in 1933. The highest and wettest area of Saguaro Park is here. This implies that in addition to having amazing landscape, it also boasts a significant amount of wildlife. Moving up into the mountains from the desert level, horseback riders and backcountry hikers can pass through saguaro woods and Douglas fir and ponderosa pine forests.
The smaller of the two park districts is the western Tucson Mountain District. It safeguards a hotter, drier, and less diversified region of the Sonoran Desert that is substantially lower in elevation. However, there is a massive, dense forest of younger saguaros there.
Both districts contain a visitor center, picnic sites, a scenic driving circle, and a selection of interpretive and hiking trails. There are wilderness backpacking trails in the eastern Rincon district as well.
Park history
The region was home to Hohokam settlements for an extremely long time before Saguaro National Park was created. Mission San Xavier was established in the south by the Spanish much later, in 1692. But until homesteaders, ranchers, and miners started to arrive in the latter part of the 19th century, the region that is now Saguaro National Park remained comparatively undeveloped. A few ranches survived inside the park into the 1970s, while mining continued there until the 1940s.
Today, remnants of this past are still visible, including petroglyphs, other archaeological sites, closed mines, and old structures.
A saguaro cactus is it safe to touch?
A. The 78-foot-tallest saguaro ever measured fell over in 1986. There isn’t a particular saguaro in the park that is known to be the tallest in the vicinity. Check around the Loma Verde loop in the park’s East District if you’re seeking for tall Saguaros.
Are the spines of cacti poisonous? A. Cactus spines are not dangerous or venomous, but they can nevertheless pierce skin and cause an infection just like any other type of wound. Use cautious before touching anything!
A. Saguaros are a cactus that grows very slowly. In the first eight years of its life, a saguaro grows between 1 and 1.5 inches in Saguaro National Park, according to studies. more
A. The picnic spots in Saguaro National Park do not accept reservations. First come, first served applies.
2. Having picnics with parties of 20 or more people
3. Retreats from religion
4. The scattering of human cadavers
Prior to the actual date sought, a special use permit must be filled out and submitted to the park. All recreational special use licenses have a $100 (minimum) processing charge.
Best Time to Visit Saguaro National Park
Winter is the ideal season to visit Saguaro National Park (DecemberFebruary). Low visitor numbers, nice temperatures, with the possibility of sporadic cold blasts, characterize this time of year.
Spring in Saguaro NP
Outside of spring break, spring might be a fantastic season to visit Saguaro National Park because of the lower number of visitors and cooler temperatures, despite being very hot. The greatest time to visit is in the early spring because later in the season the park will be approaching triple digit temperatures by midday every day.
Summer in Saguaro NP
Saguaro National Park experiences a scorchingly hot summer. Daytime highs can exceed 115 degrees and are consistently in the triple digits.
It would be quite risky to go hiking in these conditions. Remember to pack lots of water and refrain from any intense exercise after the early morning if you intend to visit during the summer.
Fall in Saguaro National Park
Saguaro fall is, to put it bluntly, still hot. But aside from the noon heat, late October may be fairly enjoyable because few visitors are still around and the temps are agreeable.