The Sonoran Desert regions of Arizona are home to the tall and powerful saguaro cactus. Large saguaros are the focus of Saguaro National Park, although beautiful specimens can be found all over the world. Arizona State Law protects the saguaro, and damaging it or stealing it can result in a 4th degree felony penalty.
Without a doubt, the saguaro is most at risk from the fast growing human population.
Overview
The Sonoran Desert’s emblematic plant is the saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea. Naturally, it cannot be found in any other setting. They do not, however, grow everywhere in the Sonoran Desert. Freezing conditions throughout the wintertime restrict the saguaro’s range. Elevation also places restrictions on saguaros. They typically grow between sea level and an elevation of about 4,000 feet. Saguaros that reach heights of more than 4,000 feet are typically found on south-facing slopes where cold temperatures are less common or last less time.
How do saguaros grow?
The saguaro cactus grows 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.
As they develop under the protection of a “nurse tree,” most frequently a palo verde, ironwood, or mesquite tree, these tiny, newborn saguaros might be difficult to spot. The much older nurse tree of the saguaro could perish as it grows more. Some scientists think that because the saguaro is competing with the nursing tree, it may cause it to die by stealing water and nutrients from the nearby soil.
A saguaro’s growth rate changes with age, depending on the environment, amount of precipitation, and location. We do know that a saguaro cactus grows most rapidly during the transition from an unbranched to a branching mature stage.
Typically, branches start to emerge on saguaros in Saguaro National Park when they are 50–70 years old. Arms might not form for up to 100 years in locations with less precipitation.
A saguaro starts to produce flowers when it is 35 years old. Flowers can be found anywhere along the sides of the plant, though they are typically located near the end of the main trunk and arms. A saguaro will continue to produce flowers for its entire lifespan.
Typically, a saguaro is thought to be roughly 125 years old as an adult. It might be up to 50 feet tall and weigh 6 tons or more. A saguaro’s lifespan is possibly 150–175 years on average. However, researchers believe that some plants may survive exceeding 200 years.
Why can saguaro cacti be found in Arizona only?
Cactus Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)
The saguaro cactus, which “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 saguaro cactus, which can grow up to 40 feet tall, is the biggest cactus in the country. Over 78 feet high, the tallest saguaro cactus ever measured stood. All of the saguaro cactus’ growth takes place at the tip, or top, of the cactus, which grows like a column at a very slow rate. A saguaro cactus may take ten years to grow just an inch tall. A saguaro cactus can grow to a height of 6 and a half feet and begin to bear flowers at the age of 70. A saguaro cactus can grow to a height of 15 to 16 feet and begin to sprout its first arm by the time it is 95 to 100 years old. The saguaro cactus reaches its maximum height of up to 45 feet tall when it is 200 years old. While some saguaros develop dozens of arms, other cacti never produce even one. One of the unsolved mysteries of the desert is why this occurs.
The saguaro cactus is an expert at surviving in the desert. This plant was created from the ground up to survive in the sometimes hostile Sonoran Desert. The saguaro cactus’ epidermis is covered in a thick layer of waxy material that prevents water loss through transpiration and waterproofs the plant. To protect the water that is kept inside, the cactus has bristles that are both flexible and have sharp spines.
A saguaro cactus has an equally remarkable root system. The cactus will grow a sizable, solitary taproot that will extend straight down into the ground for around five feet. The cactus can get water that is kept underground thanks to this taproot. The saguaro cactus’ primary roots differ greatly from other cacti. A huge network of roots that resemble a maze is sent out by the cactus quite near to the surface. These roots are typically 3 inches or less below the surface, allowing the cactus to easily catch any rain that may fall.
Instantaneously, very little water is used. Instead, the majority of the water collected is eventually stored within the cactus for use during dry spells. A tissue that resembles a sponge fills the interior of the cactus and serves as a reservoir for the water. The cactus’ skin starts to grow as more water is stored, providing additional space for storage. When a result, as more and more water is stored, the saguaro cactus can get rather hefty. A Saguaro cactus foot can weigh up to 90 pounds when fully grown, and a whole Saguaro can weigh over a ton.
The saguaro cactus blooms from late spring to early summer. The flowering typically takes place between April and June. The milky-white blossoms give forth a sweet nectar that draws a variety of bat species. These bats consume flower nectar while also helping to pollinate the saguaro cactus. The bats will begin to devour the cactus fruit when it begins to produce fruit, which will help disperse saguaro seeds over the desert.
Can you find saguaro cacti in California?
A few scattered populations of this species can be found in the far southeast of California, close to the Arizona/California border, in addition to Arizona and Mexico. Thus, the saguaro cactus can now be included in California’s rich natural flora.
Can you find saguaro cacti in New Mexico?
Even though the saguaro cactus cannot be found in New Mexico, it is nevertheless depicted in NM imagery this time, along NM 14 or the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway. A July article from the Albuquerque Journal announcing the inclusion of the state’s illustrious route in Mattel’s Hot Wheels Road Trippin’ line of toy cars was sent in by Edgewood resident Paula Sprigg. The packaging for the “Backwoods Bomb camper truck features an image (right) of two saguaros that would be much more at home in Arizona.
Saguaros may grow anywhere.
Carnegiea gigantea, the saguaro cactus, is found only in the Sonoran Desert. They do not, however, grow everywhere in the Sonoran Desert. This map shows the range of the Saguaro cactus with a crosshatched representation of the Sonoran Desert (solid). Freezing conditions throughout the wintertime restrict the saguaro’s range.
Elevation also places restrictions on saguaros. They typically grow between sea level and an elevation of about 4,000 feet. Saguaros that reach heights of more than 4,000 feet are typically found on south-facing slopes where cold temperatures are less common or last less time.
Saguaros can they grow in Las Vegas?
Why do saguaro cacti grow in Arizona but not in Nevada, Mr. Sun? The desert is them. We are the arid land. Why are there not any huge cowboy cacti in Las Vegas?
It would appear that Las Vegas would be a good environment for almost any desert spectacular. Unfortunately, Southern Nevada is not suited for the towering, iconic saguaro, which may grow to 60 feet tall and produce dozens of upward-extending arms.
Native to the Sonoran Desert, which is found in southern Arizona, northern Mexico, and southeastern California, saguaros are pronounced suh-WAR-o.
According to experts, warmth and rainfall are what prevent the desert giants from encroaching into the Mojave. For saguaros to flourish, Las Vegas has a few too many days below freezing. The rain, or lack thereof, is another factor.
Tucson, located in the Sonoran Desert, receives 12 inches of rain on average per year. That’s a decent amount of rain for a desert, and it’s undoubtedly more than Las Vegas, which received less than 3 inches of precipitation in 2017.
Rainfall is significant to saguaros as well. Winter is a dormant season for cacti, therefore summer precipitation is what matters.
According to Doug Larson, horticulture of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, “Saguaros grow in the summers when there is the hotter heat… and the seeds get down in the earth and the summer monsoon rains are germination the next generation.
With an average of more than 2 inches of rain in some areas, July and August are the wettest months in the Sonoran Desert. The wettest months in Las Vegas are from December through March.
The saguaro that awakens in Las Vegas is not doomed as a result of this. A few seem to be surviving as they skulk in nearby landscaping.
Larson expressed the hope that residents of Las Vegas who have them in their landscapes will water them. ” In the summer, once a month should be sufficient.
How much is the value of my saguaro cactus?
Southwest Arizona, western Sonora, Mexico, and even a few locations in southeast California are home to saguaro cacti. They are typically found in the northern regions on slopes that face south, where the sun shines more frequently. The Saguaro Cactus is covered in protecting needles and bears a red fruit in the summer as well as tiny white blooms in the late spring.
Only in the Sonoran Desert does the suguaro cactus, also known as Carnegiea Gigantea, flourish.
A Saguaro will only grow about one to one and a half inches in its first eight years.
Moving a saguaro cactus off of private or public land without a permit is against the law in Arizona.
Saguaro cactus roots spread out like an accordion to take in as much water as they can.
Arizona’s state flower is the saguaro bloom, which blooms only after a saguaro has reached the age of 35.
SAGUARO CACTUS FACTS
The saguaro is a unique species of plant that can get rather big yet develops extremely slowly. The saguaro’s weight and height are often astounding, and the plant’s beauty is emblematic and significant to the magnificent state of Arizona.
- Arizona has rules and limitations on the gathering, harvesting, and disposal of these cactus. To learn more about the rules that apply to your region, get in touch with your neighborhood government.
- The Saguaro can survive for 150 to 200 years in the appropriate growing circumstances.
- The cactus has one major root that extends down approximately 2 feet while the remaining roots all extend out till they reach the height of the plant and only go down about 5 inches.
- Saguaro growth is particularly slow. A saguaro may only be 1.5 inches tall after a whole decade of growth. They can potentially grow to a height of 40–60 feet under the right circumstances! After a rainy season, a completely hydrated Saguaro may weigh between 3,200 and 4,800 pounds.
- Arizona legislation allows for the collection of saguaro “ribs,” which are used to create jewelry, furniture, roofs, fences, picture frames, and other things. Even the Native Americans used the ribs as water containers before the canteen was created.
HOW MUCH DOES A CACTUS COST?
According to DFRanchandGardens, the average price of a saguaro cactus in the US for 2020 is between $20 and $2,000 per foot.
The saguaro will cost less the smaller it is, according to osieOnTheHouse. However, if they are merely spears and in good condition, they typically sell for $100 or more per foot. The price of saguaros with arms is higher.
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.