SENTINELS OF THE SOUTHWEST
In the heart of the scorching Sonoran Desert live the majestic saguaro cacti. Captivating both locals and tourists, the Carnegiea gigantea, more commonly known as the saguaro, is one of the most iconic and well-known succulents of the American Southwest. They are vital to Arizona’s climate, biodiversity and Native American culture.
These desert giants, the largest cactus species in the U.S., stand up to 40 feet tall. They are not just cacti but living monuments, with an average lifespan of 150-200 years. Saguaros are unique, growing only in the elevated regions of the Sonoran Desert, which stretches across parts of Arizona, California and Mexico.
Sonoran Desert (brown), with an overlay of the range of
the saguaro cactus (green)
For thousands of years, Native American tribes, such as the Tohono O’odham people, used saguaros in their everyday lives. White flowers grow on top of saguaros every May and June, which blossom into bright red fruits. Every year, the Tohono O’odham people harvest saguaro fruits, cook them, eat them raw or turn the nectar into sweet syrup. To this day, many Native Americans follow in their ancestor’s footsteps and collect these fruits yearly.
Beyond their prickly appearance, saguaros have a beautiful relationship with the desert’s biodiversity. Saguaros provide shelter and safety for many species of desert wildlife, including small birds, insects and wild animals like coyotes. Birds like the Gila Woodpecker often carve holes in saguaros' sides to build their nests. Coyotes climb on top of saguaros to hide from predators.
For Juarez, what makes saguaros so special is how they continue to give life even in death.
“When the saguaro gets old enough or if there is an environmental element to make it fall,” said Juarez, “they will eventually become part of the soil. It will provide nutrients for other saguaros and other plants.”
