Warm Cacti

Saguaro123 · Post by **Saguaro123** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 6:39 am

Saguaros at the entrance of the McCarren Airport at Las Vegas. The people maintaining the gardens don't seem to know much about cacti. Temps weren't even below freezing.

Alex_AZ · Post by **Alex_AZ** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:04 pm

nice coats, but not necessary, were they newly transplanted?

Alex

TimN · Post by **TimN** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 3:43 pm

People who cover cacti find it easiest to cover them at the first sign of frost and uncover when there is no sign of frost.

I don't understand it myself. These covers at least look like they will let filtered light through. Most of the time what I see in AZ is styrofoam cups on the end of each branch for weeks/months on end.

Of course it's worse when you are attempting to grow a saguaro in a place where they don't occur naturally.

vlani · Post by **vlani** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:02 pm

I'd say those people know perfectly well what they are doing. Saguaros have been there for at least 10 years and are in perfect health

Post by **daiv** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 5:08 pm

I was impressed by the plantings around the Airport there and amazed at the Saguaros. I have to agree with vlani on this one. They are doing well. Certainly would be easy to cover them for the winter than to cover and uncover them all winter long.

Buck Hemenway · Post by **Buck Hemenway** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 5:16 pm

That's pretty amazing. They grow in landscapes all over the Phoenix area very successfully, without covering. The airport has too much money to spend. Probably had a large budget for maintenance and can't spend it.

Saguaro123 · Post by **Saguaro123** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:15 pm

Buck Hemenway wrote:That's pretty amazing. They grow in landscapes all over the Phoenix area very successfully, without covering.

And that's my point. The climate at Las Vegas isn't that much different than Phoenix and Saguaros can take some frost.

Buck Hemenway · Post by **Buck Hemenway** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:23 pm

Actually, I thnk that Las Vegas is much colder than Phoenix.

Post by **daiv** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:29 pm

Perhaps, but I think the weather is different enough in Vegas to make a difference. It seems winter temps. are an average 9 or 10 F colder in LV. Also, there are more extreme (colder) temperature spikes and more frequent dips below freezing each year.

There is a notable lack of Saguaros growing around Las Vegas, while in Phoenix, they occur naturally.

Considering the expense and difficulty of establishing such large plants, I'd bet it is cheaper to cover them every year than to risk losing them by relying on the weather man.

Cereusly · Post by **Cereusly** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:02 pm

They really look pathetic, but then I wouldn't want to be the person in care of them if they did get hit with a hard freeze, and had to explain the major damage or even their possible demise.

Maybe, they could string them with Christmas Tree lights on them . . . 'tis the season.

Tony

Ocotillo · Post by **Ocotillo** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:55 am

Curious.

The climates are very similar, but it does get colder in Vegas. Their all-time record low is 8 F. compared to our record low of 17 F. A night like that is probably what they're afraid of.

Phoenix summers can actually be a little harsh even for Saguaros though. A fair amount of the specimans at the Tovrea mansion died during the many years of neglect. Too much heat/Not enough precipitation.

Phoenix is at ~1100 ft. Those in and around Tucson,(~2600 ft.) and on the hills surrounding the Phoenix metro area where the temps are cooler have an easier time than their counterparts on the Valley floor and it really shows.