Carnegia gigantea (Saguaro)

The saguaro cactus has been described as the monarch of the Sonoran Desert, as a prickly horror, as the supreme symbol of the American Southwest, and as a plant with personality.

The Saguaro is renowned for the variety of odd, all-too-human shapes it assumes, shapes that inspire wild and fanciful imaginings.

Saguaro are found only in the Sonoran desert. The giant saguaro is the king of cacti. A full-grown saguaro is usually more than 35 feet in height and is at least 75 years old, sometimes reaching a height of 50 feet and life span of 200 years. Some have arms but all are green and have a wax-like skin that helps prevent water loss. Rare and endangered this extraordinary giant cactus has been protected within Saguaro National Park since 1933.