| Saguaro | ||||||||||||||
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| Carnegiea gigantea |
Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is a large, tree-sized cactus that is native to the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Saguaros are slow growing, taking up to 75 years to reach the point where they will develop a side shoot. They bloom in April or May. Many animals, such as the Cactus Wren, make burrows in saguaros.
The ribs of the saguaro are used for construction and other purposes by Native Americans of the region. A fine example can be seen in the roofing of the cloisters of the Mission San Xavier del Bac on the Tohono O'odham lands near Tucson, Arizona