The Saguaro Cactus – Interesting And Fun Facts!

Facts on Saguaro Cactus

A Saguaro cactus is the largest cactus with branches in the US.

You can only find it in one desert on Earth, the Sonoran desert. This section contains lesser-known and interesting facts on the Saguaro cactus, so let’s take a look and learn something new!

• The Saguaro cactus is the largest in the US.

• When you think of a cactus, you probably imagine Saguaro. It’s a very tall cactus with branches. However, its branches aren’t anything like the branches of trees. They look like arms going up toward the sky.

• Some Saguaro cactus can grow up to 25 arm-like branches, while others never develop any. This plant can live up to 2 centuries, reach up to 40-60 feet in height, and weigh up to 4,800 pounds if it absorbs a lot of water via the roots when it rains.

Slow Grower

• It’s a super slow-growing cactus. It can take up to 10 years for it to grow 1 inch.

• This plant can absorb and retain about 200 gallons of water during a rainstorm, enough to fill a regular bathtub more than four times. Saguaro cactus saves this water so it can use it when there’s no rain.

• Most of the roots of this cactus aren’t very deep in the ground. In fact, they’re 4-6 inches deep and expand far away from the cactus as it is very tall. There’s a single deep root that goes down into the ground for more than 2 feet.

• After this cactus dies, people use the wood to create fences, roofs, and parts of furniture. You can also see the holes that birds nested in the cactus, which Native Americans used as water containers long before the canteen was available.

Oldest Cactus Around?

• Since this cactus can live between 1 and 2 centuries, it’s very hard to determine the real age of some of the largest Saguaro cacti in the desert.

• This cactus can swell or shrink in girth by 20-25% throughout the year, depending on how much water they absorb.

• Although these plants have spines that prevent animals from eating them, they still serve as “hotels” or “motels” for birds like Gila woodpeckers. They carve out nests and wait a few months before moving in to let the pulp dry and make a sturdy casing around the cavity.

• Saguaros aren’t just your regular cactus. They’re acknowledged as foundation species because they help many other species in the ecosystem.

• The bloom of the Saguaro cactus is Arizona’s state flower.

• The scientific term for the Saguaro, Carnegiea gigantea, was inspired by Andrew Carnegie, whose Carnegie Institution founded the Desert Botanical Laboratory in Arizona in 1903.

Cultural Importance

• This cactus is culturally important to the Tohono O’odham Nation. The Native Americans harvest ripe fruit during spring to produce jams, wines, and jellies. The wine produced by the fruit of this cactus is ritually consumed during a rain ceremony.

• Unfortunately, it makes for pricey lawn plants that you can find on the black market sold by poachers. They can cost hundreds of dollars which puts Saguaro in a vulnerable position.

• As already mentioned, Saguaro supports different animal species such as lizards, bats, insects, birds, and mammals – they all feast on this plant’s flowers, fruit, and flesh. Besides Gila woodpeckers, other birds such as pygmy owls also find shelter in this cactus.

• Unbelievably, Saguaro doesn’t develop branches before the age of 50-75 years old.

• Furthermore, it produces flowers at the age of 36 years old. Therefore, if you ever notice a Saguaro with flowers, it’s at least 35 years old.

Don’t Let It Fall on You!

• If you mess with this cactus, you might get hurt. A Saguaro cactus actually killed a man back in 1982. Apparently, the person was shooting at the plant to make it fall, and unfortunately, a 500-pound branch fell onto him. Later, the trunk also fell onto him, killing him.

• For cutting saguaro (or trying to cut it), you can go to jail. In fact, in Arizona the maximum sentence for this crime is 3 years and 9 months.

• The fruit of this plant tastes like strawberry. It’s edible, and you can make different things with this fruit. The Native Americans consume the raw fruit and also produce jellies, jams, wine, and syrup. Keep in mind that you will need a super long stick to reach the fruits since they develop on the crowns of the branches of the main stalk.

• If you plan to add this stunning cactus to your collection, it’s best to purchase from a plant nursery. You can buy seeds and propagate them in your greenhouse for as little as $5.

• Buying a whole Saguaro cactus will cost you between $200 and $2,000. If you have any information, drop a comment below, and let’s chat about it!