Just down the road from the Desert Museum is Saguaro (sah-WAH-roe) National Park. These cacti are so wonderful to see all around this area. Nephew Josh had told us some things about Saguaro - we learned even more yesterday:
- Saguaro cacti only grow in the Sonoran Desert, but not all parts of the Sonoran Desert (limited by freezing temperatures in winter). They are also limited by elevation - generally found growing from sea level to approximately 4000 feet in elevation.
- They are very slow growing - between 1 and 1.5 inches in the first 8 years of its life. In the park, branches normally begin to appear when a saguaro reaches 50 to 70 years of age. In areas of lower precipitation, it may take up to 100 years before arms appear.
- Saguaro will produce flowers when it reaches 35 years of age.
- An adult saguaro is generally considered to be about 125 years of age. It may weigh 6 tones or more and be as tall as 50 feet. Average life span is probably 150-175 years.
- The pleats in the shape of the saguaro allow it to expand to absorb water when there are rains, and contract when the desert is dry.
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| From a distance they look like sticks |
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