![]() ![]() If you want to see plenty of saguaros, but don't feel like venturing too far from the comfort of the city, check out some of these hotels and attractions that have dedicated spaces to the majestic cactus. So when you're taking your photo, look, but don't touch! They are known to be as sharp and strong as steel needles, and can injure both animals and humans. These spines act as leaves would on a tree or bush, absorbing sunlight and catching rainwater. The fruit is still used today to make things such as jams, syrup and wine.ĭon't touch the saguaro! This might be obvious, but the saguaro is covered in extremely sharp spines. Arizona's native peoples, including the Tohono O'odham, Pima and Seri, used every part of the cactus for food and tools. The saguaro produces fruit and flower blossoms. The saguaro blossom is the official state flower of Arizona. The cactus blooms in the springtime with beautiful flowers on the tops of its spear and arms, accompanying the wildflowers that pop up in the Sonoran Desert every spring. Almost every desert animal - including birds, bats, tortoise, javelina and coyotes - enjoy the bright red fruit, which has a mild sweet flavor. If a saguaro gets in the way of construction, a special permit is required to transport and plant it somewhere new. It's illegal to damage or harm a saguaro. There are some exceptions, but interrupting a saguaro's natural growth is prohibited in Arizona. If that's the case, it's called a "spear." Some of these cactus don't ever grow arms. Saguaros tend to live anywhere between 150 to 200 years. But the saguaro cactus only grows about a foot a year, and it won't grow an arm until it ages at least 50 years. Saguaros reach over 50 feet tall, and can grow as many as 50 arms, or branches. Saguaro cactus are massive - but they grow slow. Here are some other fun facts about the saguaro cactus: ![]() You may have seen one in a Western movie set in Texas or New Mexico, but chances are the filming actually took place right here, because the cactus can only be found in the lush Sonoran Desert of Arizona, as well as our southern neighbor state of Sonora, Mexico, and in some areas of southeastern California. The saguaro is one of 51 species of cactus that are native to Arizona, but it is undoubtedly the most well known. ![]()
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