When most people think of cactus in the Sonoran Desert, the image that comes to mind is the giant saguaro cactus. The saguaro grows only in the Sonoran Desert is one of the largest cacti. The saguaro cactus is a symbol of the American Southwest. Its inner meaning expresses the idea of standing tall, adapting to the environment, and providing shelter and nourishment for others. Given its stature and authority, it holds a grandfatherly type of wisdom.
Because saguaros are so common in the Tucson area, it is home to one of this nation’s national parks, the Saguaro National Park. However, it is not the most common cactus in the Sonoran Desert. That honor goes to the little pincushion cactus. Being so small and often in the shadows of the giant saguaro, their chances of being noticed are slim unless they are blooming.
Giant Saguaros off of State Highway 77 — Image by kenne
At first glance, you may not notice how thin the giant Saguaros are. Saguaros can survive in drought conditions for over one hundred years by taking on a lot of water during the two rainy seasons each year in the Sonoran Desert. They can expand, take on hundreds of gallons of water, then contract as they use the stored water during the hot-dry time of the year. Unfortunately, the combined total rainfall from last summer’s monsoon and winter rains was less than half the average amount. As a result, many of the older and diseased saguaros are now dying.
As we enter this year’s monsoon season, we hope for plenty of rain to fatten up the symbol of our desert.
This saguaro has grown under the protection of a mesquite tree serving as a nurse tree. This spring the cactus is loaded with flower buds, many of which a beginning to bloom.
“The Early Bird Gets the Nectar” (White-winged Dove on Saguaro Cactus Buds) — Image by kenne
In April, the budding of saguaros is followed by the return of white-winged doves from Mexico who love the nectar in the saguaro blossoms. This image captures a white-winged dove atop buds soon to blossom — another take on “The early bird gets the worm.”
Sometimes happiness is a blessing, but, generally, it is a conquest. Each day’s magic moment helps us to change and sends us off in search of our dreams.
