Carnegiea gigantea (saguaro) in habitat

[jp29]

Mature plant at Bach's Cactus Nursery


Buds just forming -- late March


Well formed buds -- early April


Buds and flowers -- early May


Unripe fruit -- late May


Fully ripe fruit -- late June


The shortest plant I have encountered in flower -- 5ft. (approx. 1.5m)

[K.W.]

Good morning James,

I wish I would have cactus outside the front door as you!
And then I'm quite happy again, that does not grow here in nature.
I would have huge problems when the plants were cleared for a new highway. . .

1000 thanks for the nice Habitats images!


Sincerely Yours

K.W.


P. S. show us more !!!

[jp29]

Good afternoon K.W. -- again.

Good morning James,

I wish I would have cactus outside the front door as you!
And then I'm quite happy again, that does not grow here in nature.
I would have huge problems when the plants were cleared for a new highway. . . . . .

It is a wonderful thing indeed. But I am so sad when construction results in relocation -- or even destruction -- of these magnificent cacti -- some over one hundred years old.

1000 thanks for the nice Habitats images!

Of course you are most welcome, K.W.

P. S. show us more !!!

Oh, I shall indeed my good friend! I am beginning to tap my large photo archives.

[jp29]

Buds and flowers -- late May


Flower close-up


Flower close-up with (bee) pollinator


Buds and flowers -- mid May


Saguaro habitat


Prickly perch for a hawk surveying the desert floor


Some small desert dweller is about to meet his/her demise

[KittieKAT]

I once knew a guy on a diff form who would sneak to the construction sites before they demolished the cacti and dig um up and bring them home with him and replant them on his lawn or in pots, he must have had to do a lot of digging and get alot of pricklies in him before the job was done. I thought it was great he was saving them. He must of had to trim the roots on slot of the big ones cause a 200 year-old root ball left to spread wild for years must have been crazy big lol

[jp29]

Please refer too:

Conservation of cacti in Arizona

There are several organizations in Arizona involved with Cactus rescue the foremost of which is:

Tucson Cactus & Succulent Society - Cactus Rescue

Click on the very interesting animated GIF to see how a large Saguaro is moved.

http://www.tucsoncactus.org/html/how_sa ... moved.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jp29]

I will be including, from time to time and randomly, photos of desert animals and xerophytic plants that live in association with Saguaros.


Mature plant in habitat with Mesquite & Palo Verde trees, Greasewood shrubs and Cholla

What do Saguaros typically cost in Tucson? Click here to find out
Note: I have no commercial or other association with this enterprise.

Many people believe there are red flowered Saguaros. That misapprehension results from seeing the plants adorned with
bright red widely split open fruit in late June that facilitates access to the exposed seeds for birds in order to insure wide
dispersal and enhance germination.


Mature fruit chock full of seed ready to split open


Birds have removed every seed from the pulp


Same here -- they go quickly


Fledgling great horned owl at Bach's Cactus Nursery


Mom great horned owl at Bach's Cactus Nursery

[Brunãozinho]

Thanks a lot James. Amazing to see those pics, I appreciatte to see the animals too.

[jp29]

Thanks a lot James. Amazing to see those pics, I appreciatte to see the animals too.

Thank you Bruno -- I will be posting many more series of Saguaro photos along with associated plants and animals.

[jp29]

Cristate Saguaro at Bach's Cactus Nursery


Cristate Saguaro are rarely encountered


Even rarer are cristate flowers


Close-up view


Cylindropunta fulgida is a commonly associated cactus


And Sonoran gopher snakes are often encountered in spring and summer

[oldcat61]

James - what a pretty snake! How big are they? The saguaro habitat pix are inspiring - wish I knew more about keeping my "rescue" happy. This will be his 2nd winter in my GH - no obvious growth but looks a bit plumper & his color is good. Crossed fingers. Sue

[jp29]

James - what a pretty snake! How big are they? The saguaro habitat pix are inspiring - wish I knew more about keeping my "rescue" happy. This will be his 2nd winter in my GH - no obvious growth but looks a bit plumper & his color is good. Crossed fingers. Sue

Sue: That is the largest one I have encountered - about 6ft (approx. 2m) in length - I think they are usually shorter than that at maturity, but I am currently too lazy to Google it. You rate a round of applause for raising your Saguaro to that size in a greenhouse!

[oldcat61]

I didn't "raise" him, just saved him from a closing down florist last August. He'd been stuck in a 14" pot for at least 30 years. Broke the pot, washed the roots to tease them apart & he's now planted in a 2ft by 2ft by 3ft deep bed. The bed is open to the NJ sand at the bottom. Very scary process of moving him & replanting. That's why I'm still worried. Sue

[K.W.]

I didn't "raise" him, just saved him from a closing down florist last August. He'd been stuck in a 14" pot for at least 30 years. Broke the pot, washed the roots to tease them apart & he's now planted in a 2ft by 2ft by 3ft deep bed. The bed is open to the NJ sand at the bottom. Very scary process of moving him & replanting. That's why I'm still worried. Sue

Absolutely impressive!!!!

Best wishes

K.W.

[jp29]

I will be including, from time to time and randomly, photos of desert animals
and xerophitic plants that live in association with Saguaros.



Juvenile Saguaros at Bach's Cactus Nursery


The smallest Saguaro seedling I have found in habitat - growing under a Mesquite "nurse" tree


Saguaro habitat -- Mammillaria microcarpa clumps growing under Mesquite tree


Saguaro habitat -- Opuntia engelmannii


Saguaro habitat -- Mesquite, Palo Verde, Ironwood trees - Cholla & Ferocactus


Shrubs: creosote, salt bush, ragweed (Euphorbia antisyphillitica in the foothills)


Plenty of diamondback rattlesnakes in the late spring and summer


Their coloration is highly variable


Horned lizards are hard to spot