The Saguaro – Arizona Hikers Guide The Saguaro – Arizona Hikers Guide

by Cameron Jarman on April 6, 2015

When you think of Arizona deserts the first thing that probably comes to your mind is the Saguaro cactus.  This giant of a cactus is the centerpiece of Arizona and is native to the Sonoran desert.  We love it so much that we named our state flower after the beautiful blossoms that come from the Saguaro in springtime.  I dedicate this post to a few facts about the poster-child cactus of the Southwest.

These defining plants of the southwest are found almost exclusively in Southern Arizona and Sonora Mexico.  There are saguaros also found in some small parts of California.

Growth

Saguaros grow very slowly.  The little baby saguaro nubs you see on the desert floor while hiking can be upwards of 10 years old.  They can live anywhere from 150-200 years and grow up to 60 ft. tall!

Because the desert floor is so dang hard and we have so much stinking clay in our soil, the saguaro roots penetrate only about 4-6 inches deep but span outward nearly as far as the saguaro is tall.  These roots gather and store most of the saguaro’s water during the summer monsoon season.

Flowers and Fruit

The saguaro blooms in spring time.  The flowers, which are labeled as the State Flower, actually bloom at night.  They bloom white and yellow flowers from April until June.  The deep red fruit that comes from these flowers ripen in June and have been used for thousands of years by the Native people that occupied this landscape.

Death

When a saguaro dies, it’s ribs stay in tact and are quite a sight to see.  I have seen these ribs used as walking sticks, fences, harvesting poles for the saguaro fruit, and a variety of other ways.  Birds also nest in live saguaros and when it dies the nest forms a “boot” which stays in tact and can be found in the ribs.

Laws

It is illegal to harm a saguaro in any way.  It is illegal to transport, shoot, carve into, or destroy in any manner.  These are special and beautiful plants and are native to the area.  Please treat them with respect.

Got any pictures of Saguaros you’d like to share?  If so, post them in the comment box below or send them to me @ [email protected] and I will post them for you.

by Cameron Jarman on April 22, 2015

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