Saguaro National Park is home to an impressive number of saguaro
cacti... By the way, while talking to a ranger, I found out that they
pronounce it as sa-WAH-ro ;) But... regardless of how you pronounce it,
you will find a lot of them there... and they are truly magnificent...
And everyone loves them... Saguaros are especially beloved by
birds, with Common Ground Doves frequently seen feeding on the white
saguaro flowers. Unfortunately, only one of them agreed to pose for a
second before flying off.
The saguaro is a columnar cactus that grows notable branches, usually referred to as arms and can grow up to 10-52 ft tall. Don't be fooled by pictures, as they are much larger and thicker when viewed up close, with a diameter of up to 30 inches. In the Sonoran desert, these cacti form a saguaro forest, which although mostly not very dense, is nonetheless impressive.
Their buds look like Brussel sprouts but don't try to eat them (unless you are a bird or a bee) ;)
Ocotillo, another semi-succulent plant native to this desert, can
also be seen in abundance. Although bare and prickly, they add color to
the desert with their incredible red flowers at the end of the branches.
But still... you come here for saguaros, and you have plenty. They
come in different sizes and shapes, with some armless and others having
many arms. They can grow up to 60 arms, with the first arm usually
appearing when the cactus is around 50-75 years old. This cactus is a
well-known symbol of the Arizona desert.
The white saguaro flowers are the state flower of Arizona and are absolutely gorgeous.
I wish we were there a week later, I guess we could see more
flowers and white crowns around the tops of the plants and their arms.
But even though they just began to bloom, it looked just absolutely
amazing.
Contrary to popular belief, the Arizona desert is not lifeless and
colorless, not bare and uninhabited. During springtime, Prickly Pears
blossom in yellow, chollas in orange and purple, saguaros in white, and
ocotillos in red (and there are many other flowers and colors too). The
desert is bright and full of life.
While we were halfway through the planned hike, we met a Northern
Cardinal. A bright bird was sitting on a tree branch (why not on one of
the cacti?) and didn't pay much attention to us (which we appreciated,
actually).
During the walk, we were surrounded by saguaros. Some of them even
offered a hug (do you see one with its hands outstretched and ready to
hug you?). We decided not to come closer...
Mountains in the West looked like old-fashioned posters. The hills create layers and make this view unforgettable.
The saguaro forest rises up to the Tucson Mountains and looks just unbelievable.
A little Cactus Wren posed for a moment before disappearing in a hole in the cactus body.
As I mentioned above, the desert is full of life and colors. Even though most of this life has many thorns ;)
A family of Black-throated Gray Warblers had a quarrel and we were not sure what all this fuss was about...
Wouldn't it be nice, if the green prickly cactus has a beautiful red hat? I'd like it :)
Saguaros can live up to 150 years (and even longer), but getting
old is not fun... Their skin turns brown and they don't look as
healthy... Aging is not exactly a joy... I can feel it myself...
We met a few Gila Woodpeckers and it looks like they like both -
pecking for some insects and having some nectar for a dessert ;)
The Prickly Pears were in full bloom and you can see their yellow
flowers everywhere! Those flowers are so delicate and pleasant to look
at... one couldn't expect to find such beauty on the super prickly
body...
I've always admired Chollas, but the ones in Saguaro Park were
absolutely incredible - with their burnt orange flowers they looked
stunning!
The Ash-throated Flycatcher has a nice home. Oh, don't get me
wrong, I don't think I can live in a hole in the saguaro, but... great
place for a bird, don't you agree?
And as always, the house requires a lot of work, so there is no time to sit on the porch and reflect the clouds... and flycatcher needs to run some errands!
Another breathtaking view of the mountain range... and it wouldn't be as interesting without all saguaros...
Just to give you an idea of what a saguaro forest looks like... And, oh boy, this is a dense one ;) And keep in mind, the undergrowth is prickly too ;)
The Valley View viewpoint provided a great view of the mountains, a
bench and... (no wonder) a pair of saguaros to keep you company ;)
Click here to see the next day adventure - Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike
Text was written in collaboration with ChatGPT ;)
Pictures were taken on April 29, 2023.
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