The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is a large cactus that grows in the deserts of “the American West, pronounced sah-wah-roh. We constantly encounter images of these cacti as a representation of the American Desert. Without looking closely at one of these well-known desert plants, a vacation to the Sonoran Desert is not complete. Almost everyone who has seen one has been captivated by these enormous green columnar cactuses. Even more significant to the native Tohono O’Odham are the saguaro cacti. The Tohono O’Odham see the huge cacti as revered tribe members rather than as plants. They see them as a distinct kind of humanity.
Although the saguaro cactus has come to represent the American West, it can only be found in the Sonoran desert. The saguaro cactus’s geographic range is constrained to southern Arizona since it is a desert indicator species. From sea level to an elevation of around 4000 feet, saguaro cacti can thrive. The saguaro cactus will limit its growth to the warmer, south-facing slopes the further north and higher in elevation you go. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is home to a large number of saguaro cacti. Impressive “The Ajo Mountain Drive passes through saguaro woods.
The largest cactus in the United States, the saguaro grows as a column at a very slow rate, with all growth taking place at the tip, or top of the cactus. It can take 10 years for a saguaro cactus to reach 1 inch in height. By 70 years of age, a saguaro cactus can reach 6 and a half feet tall, and will finally start to proliferate.
Every feature of the saguaro cactus is specifically adapted to survive in the sometimes harsh Sonoran Desert, including its thick waxy coating, which waterproofs the plant and lowers water loss to the atmosphere through transpiration, and its skin, which is covered in hard spines and flexible bristles to protect the water stored inside.
The root system of a saguaro cactus is equally as impressive. The cactus will send out a large, single taproot straight down into the soil to a depth of about 5 feet, giving it access to water that is stored deep underground. However, the main roots of the cactus are quite different. On average, these roots lie within 3 inches of the surface, allowing the cactus to easily coexist with other plants.
The majority of the water collected is not immediately used; rather, it is stored within the cactus to be used during droughts. The interior of the cactus is filled with a sponge-like tissue that is used to hold the water. As more and more water is stored, the cactus’s skin begins to expand, creating space for more storage. As a result, the saguaro cactus can become quite heavy.
The milky white flowers of the saguaro cactus bloom in late spring and into the beginning of summer, usually between April and June. These flowers emit a sweet nectar that attracts several species of bats, which feast on the nectar and serve as pollinators for the cactus. As the cactus bears fruit, the bats begin to eat the fruits, which helps disperse the saguaro seeds throughout the desert.
Which states are home to tall cacti?
Only a few hardy species of opuntia and escobaria are present in almost every US state and southern Canadian province, although they are much more common in the southwest’s arid areas. Cacti are prevalent in six US states, including (roughly) the following: Arizona (83), California (35), New Mexico (56), Nevada (26), Utah (34) and Texas (91).
The Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Mojave deserts correspond to the lower elevations and southernmost places where the densest populations can be found. The hottest part of the Sonoran Desert in southeast California and southwest Arizona also has a relatively small number of species for the same reason. The best places to see cacti are south and southeast Arizona, south New Mexico, and far west Texas, especially in the Big Bend region. Of these three, the Mojave has somewhat fewer species due to its low rainfall.
The golden cereus, Munz’s cholla, coastal cholla, chaparral prickly pear, and San Diego barrel cactus are just a few of the rare cactus species that grow in California’s far southwest, close to San Diego, and down the coast into Santa Barbara. These can be seen in locations like Torrey Pines State Reserve, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and Cabrillo National Monument, but the majority of California species are found in the southeasterly deserts, specifically in Mojave, Anza Borrego, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree National Parks. Joshua Tree is particularly fruitful because it is located on the border of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, and as a result, has plants typical of both.
Arizona has two National Park Service (NPS) locations dedicated to particular cacti: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the far south, bordering Mexico, and Saguaro National Park on either side of Tucson. With approximately 30 species, some of which are fairly rare (like senita), this latter area is one of the best cactus places in the entire state. Other cactus-filled desert preserves include Kofa NWR, Sonoran Desert National Monument, Cabeza Prieta NWR, Ironwood Forest National Monument, and Agua Fria National Monument. Several small state parks, like Catalina, Sabino Canyon, Lost Dutchman, and Alamo Lake, also provide an excellent introduction to the local flora. The region in the far southeast between Nogales and the Chiricahua Mountains, which is where certain plants from the adjacent Chihuahuan Desert may be seen, as well as some that are significantly more frequent over the border in Mexico, has the most uncommon species, except from Organ Pipe NM. Cacti, however, are abundant throughout the state; for instance, the Canyon De Chelly National Monument is home to 12 different species. A few areas in the north also contain some extremely rare species, such as the pediocactus bradyii in the Marble Canyon region and the sclerocactus sileri on the Kaibab Plateau. Visit a botanical garden, like the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior or the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum west of Tucson, if you want to observe a wide variety of plant species all in one spot.
Around 20 different varieties of cacti can be found in Nevada’s far south, on the edge of the Mojave Desert. These include the hills that border Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, the foothills of Mount Charleston, and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The most prominent species are the Engelmann’s hedgehog cactus, California barrel cactus, many headed barrel, five different varieties of cholla, and several opuntia. The Great Basin Desert covers the rest of the state, which has fewer cacti but still contains a few very unusual species (sclerocactus).
The majority of the state of Utah is covered in cacti, including the Colorado Plateau, the Uinta Basin in the northeast, and low-lying areas of the southwest (on the edge of the Mojave Desert). The well-known national parks (Arches, Capital Reef, Zion, and Canyonlands) are each home to more than a dozen species, and Utah contains about six forms of cactus that are unique to the US. However, there is no one optimum spot (sclerocactus and pediocactus species).
Over 50 cactus species can be found in the Chihuahuan Desert, which makes up the southern third of New Mexico. These species can be found in places like Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park backcountry, and (in a botanical garden setting) Living Desert State Park in Carlsbad.
With around 100 different cactus species, Texas is the state with the most. The majority are found along the Rio Grande, close to the Mexican border, particularly in the Big Bend region, in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. In particular, the species of coryphantha, echinomastus, and escobaria are at their northernmost ranges on this terrain. In the far south, in the area of Brownsville, there is another cluster of rare species. Cacti can also be found in the Davis Mountains/Fort Davis, Guadalupe Mountains, and Black Gap WMA in the Chihuahuan Desert.
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 plant that is 10 years old 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. Before the canteen was invented, Native Americans used these as water bottles.
What is the name of those tall cacti?
The saguaro (/swro/; Spanish: [sawao]) is a type of cactus. (Carnegiea gigantea) is a type of tree-like cactus that belongs to the monotypic genus Carnegiea and may reach heights of more than 12 meters (40 ft). Sonora, Mexico, the Whipple Mountains, and Imperial County in California are its natural habitats in addition to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. The saguaro blossom is Arizona’s official wildflower. In honor of Andrew Carnegie, the plant’s scientific name was given. Saguaro National Park, close to Tucson, Arizona, was established in 1994 to aid in the protection of this species and its ecosystem.
Where do cacti often flourish?
Cactus, often known as cacti or cactuses, belongs to the order Caryophyllales and is a family of flowering plants with about 2,000 species and 139 genera. From British Columbia and Alberta southward, cacti are native to most of North and South America; the southernmost portion of their distribution reaches deep into Chile and Argentina. The highest number and variety of species are found in Mexico. The only cactus that might be native to the Old World are Rhipsalis species, which are found in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and East Africa. Few cactus species exist in tropical or subtropical climes, although the majority do and are well adapted to dry conditions. List of Cactaceae plants is also available.