Arguably the most notorious of all the icons of the desert southwest is the mighty and majestic Saguaro Cactus. This whale of the cactus world is also synonymous with Tucson, Arizona. This is largely because of Tucson Studios, where movies such as John Wayne's Stagecoach have been being filmed for decades. In the United States, Saguaro Cactus can only be found in Arizona and in the extreme southeastern area of California (below 3,400 feet above sea level). So people naturally make the connection of the Saguaro Cactus with Tucson.

The Saguaro Cactus, which thrives in the rocky bajadas, and desert flats and slopes of the Sonoran, is easily recognizable. In its youth, it grows tall on a thick, fluted, straight, columnar trunk or stem, that is 18 to 24 inches in diameter. The skin is smooth and has a waxy look and feel. The trunk, and in later life, the arms (branches) have stiff, strong, sharp, 2-inch spines on their protruding ribs (these ribs give the Saguaro its unique, fluted trunk). When the Saguaro absorbs water, the ribbed trunk (outer pulp) of the Saguaro can expand like an accordion. This substantially increases the storage capacity of the stem. The Saguaro can hold up to a ton of water using this technique. This water is slowly released to the cactus during times of drought.

The Saguaro blooms annually, during May and June. The flowers are magnificent, and are clustered towards the ends of the stalk and the arms. The flowers are about 3 inches in diameter, and are a creamy, off-white color with yellow centers. The flowers only open on cooler desert nights, and close the following day as the sun becomes more intense, and the temperature rises.

The Saguaro's green fruit is an oval about 3-inches in diameter. The fruit ripens just prior to the fall rainy season. Ultimately, the fruit splits open and exposes the bright-red, pulpy flesh. This flesh is highly sought after by all desert dwellers. This fruit was a very important part of the diet of the Native Americans who lived in the region. These Native Americans also used the flesh, seeds, and juice of the Saguaro – leaving nothing to waste.

The Saguaro grows slowly, something on the order of an inch per year. This can vary in very fertile or moist areas. The adult cactus reaches heights of 15 to 50 feet, and have more than five arms. The oldest, largest of these unique cacti are estimated to be 200 years of age or older.

For such a large cactus, the Saguaro's roots are conspicuously shallow – only going to a depth of about three feet, and spreading out about as far as the cactus is tall. The shallower roots wrap themselves tightly around rocks, which helps to stabilize the heavy giants in the desert winds.

The Gila Woodpecker and the Gilded Flicker both nest inside the massive Saguaro Cactus. Both of these birds peck small entry holes in the trunk, and then enter and hollow out their nesting areas. Any cacti inhabited by these birds can easily be spotted by the chunks of hard, dark, pulpy matter around the cactus' base – the inner pulp removed by the nesting birds. The Saguaro makes a very safe haven for the birds as not many animals can penetrate the formidable defenses of this desert giant.

The Saguaro Cactus is a protected species of plant. Be very careful not to damage any of this amazing species of plant when visiting the desert wilds around Tucson. To see a dense concentration of Saguaro Cacti visit the Saguaro National Park, just minutes from downtown Tucson.

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