Peniocereus greggii in the Tucson Area

[Briguytm]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to know if anyone has found P. greggii in the Tucson area? Sense really getting into cactus in the past year, it's one thing I'm always on the look out for when on a hike. I know they are hard to spot but in the last week I've taken two dedicated short hikes, one at the base of Tumumac Hill and one around gates pass, and I've found absolutely nothing. Any general tips or even a good location to spot these amazing plants would be amazing. Id like to find a couple before hand so on bloom night I can watch the show.

Thanks in advanced for any help

[jp29]

One of the best places to see them in abundance is Tohono Chul Park on the northwest side:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tohono_Chul_Park

[tumamoc]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to know if anyone has found P. greggii in the Tucson area? Sense really getting into cactus in the past year, it's one thing I'm always on the look out for when on a hike. I know they are hard to spot but in the last week I've taken two dedicated short hikes, one at the base of Tumumac Hill and one around gates pass, and I've found absolutely nothing. Any general tips or even a good location to spot these amazing plants would be amazing. Id like to find a couple before hand so on bloom night I can watch the show.

Thanks in advanced for any help

It takes some practice spotting these cacti. In creosote flats, you can find the larger ones by scanning the bushes at about waist- to chest-high and looking for clumps of off-color green or woody stems, or red fruits if they're still on the plant. Since birds eat the fruit, you'll often find them around overstory vegetation like mesquite, palo verde, or ironwood trees, but not where there is an overabundance of shade. My preferred place to look for them is undisturbed open country dotted with a few trees. They are found in many different habitats in and around Tucson. These are crappy pics, but you get the idea:

penio1.jpg (202.78 KiB) Viewed 549 times

Penio3.jpg (212.96 KiB) Viewed 548 times

Penio2.jpg (253.9 KiB) Viewed 549 times

[Briguytm]

Thanks to both of you. Tohono Chul is a little to touristy for me but it is a great place. Also I read online they grow on the sides of washes in loose soil so that where I've been looking. I'll try some more open areas going up to Baboquivari for a climbing trip in the winter maybe I'll find some there.

[tumamoc]

You should see them on the Altar Valley alluvial fans. I'm not so sure about the "sides of washes" as a main target area. Good luck.

[mdpillet]

Check out iNaturalist. There's probably quite a few observations of P. greggii on there you can use!