So long Saguaros!

As I get ready to leave Arizona and go to New Mexico, I wonder will this be goodbye to the saguaros? Yes, I think so. They are all over southern Arizona - not just in the national park like I thought. And I love them!

Here are some fun saguaro facts to say farewell.

-First of all, it is sa-wa-ro NOT sagwaro.

-Saguaro cacti are protected all over in AZ, not just in the state park. It is illegal to harm a saguaro in any way and if you have to move one to build you need a special permit.

-The Saguaro blossom is AZ's state flower and it is pollinated by bats, birds, and insects (but the bats get first dibs on this night-opening flower).

-It can take 35-67 years for a saguaro to reach six feet. The average lifespans is upwards of 150 years.

-Saguaros don't even grow arms until they are 50 (if they have had enough water for growth)! More arms = more photosynthesis, more possibilities for flowers, fruits, and seed propagation.

-Saguaro arms will always face upward unless they are damaged by frost or snow. If they aren't damaged too badly, the down-turned arm will continue to grow and turn up. (This is how the drunk arm saguaro cactus are formed!)

-Saguaros are ribbed or pleated to expand and contract as the amount of water they are storing changes. They can be as much as 85% water.

-The scientific name Cereus giganteus means 'gigantic candle.'

-You don't often see young saguaros bc they are hiding under nurse trees in the shade, look especially spiky and have no arms. Eventually they outgrow their nurse trees, kill them by stealing their water, and assume the saguaro shape we all know and love.

-The spines protect it from getting eaten but also provide shade.

If you want to know more, Kyle is my young hero.