Saguaro

Saguaro, Desert Foothills Scenic Drive, 1995, Note Scottsdale Road in background.

The Saguaro is the signature plant of the Sonoran Desert, Arizona’s state flower and the largest cactus in the United States. The name is pronounced sah-WAR-oh. It is also known as sahuaro and giant cactus.

Grow to about 30′ in height and 9 tons in weight. They can attain 50′ in height and some very large specimens live in the foothills area.
Live for 150 to 200 years. They grow slowly. After the first year they reach 1/2″ in height; 1′ in 15 years; 10′ in 40-50 years; 12-20′ in 75 to 100 years, when they begin to grow arms. Early in their life most saguaros need a larger plant such as a palo verde, ironwood or creosote bush to protect them from the sun and trampling. These protective plants are referred to as nurse plants.
Bloom during the months of May and June with clusters of waxy-white, funnel-shaped clusters of flowers on the tops of its “arms”. Full-grown plants produce about 100 fruits a season
Bees and other insects are attracted to the flowers during the day; bat and moths at night. There is a bat species that migrates north from Mexico as the saguaro come into bloom.
Grow only in the Sonoran Desert at elevations from 600 to 3,600′.
Wide-spread root system of a mature plant can soak up to 200 gallons of water during a rainstorm which cause the plant to expand. During periods of drought they lose bulk. Saguaros survive Arizona’s strong monsoon season gusts by swaying with the wind.
Pulp and seeds produced by this cactus are an important food source for birds, rodents, ants, and other insects. Scorpions can often be found living in fallen, deceased saguaros. The Gila and other woodpeckers drill holes in the saguaros for nest sites. Later, these nest sites are used by owls and other birds. Native Americans use the fruit and seeds for food. When a saguaro dies its wooden ribs are used by man for shelter, hiking sticks, and knick-knacks. The ribs can also be used to build fences and corrals.