




Carnegiea gigantea
The saguaro is a tall cactus that can grow very big and live for a long time! It has beautiful flowers that bloom in the spring and can be home to many animals.
Habitat: Desert
The saguaro is a towering, green cactus with a thick, ribbed stem and often many upward-curving arms. Its waxy skin helps retain water, and in late spring, white, cup-shaped flowers bloom atop its arms, later turning into bright red, edible fruits.





Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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A fully grown saguaro can weigh over two tons, as much as a small car!
It doesn't start growing its iconic arms until it is around 75 years old!
Its ribbed skin allows it to swell with water and shrink like an accordion.
The saguaro cactus is protected by law in Arizona and cannot be harmed.
Saguaro can expand its ribbed stem to store huge amounts of rainwater, helping it survive long droughts in the desert.
Saguaro has sharp spines that protect its soft, watery interior from thirsty animals trying to take a bite.
Saguaro flowers open only at night, releasing a sweet scent to attract nectar-feeding bats and moths for pollination.

Larrea tridentata
provides shade for young saguaro seedlings
Leptonycteris yerbabuenae
visits night-blooming flowers for nectar

Zenaida asiatica
consumes the saguaro's sweet red fruits
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Melanerpes uropygialis
drills nest cavities inside the cactus stem
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance.
Pertaining to plants that have stems covered with sharp, pointed projections for defense.
Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates.
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna.
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface.
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
No aliases listed yet.
Danger
2/5 · Low
Be careful not to touch the spines; they can be sharp!
450-1500 cm
200-500 cm
8-12 cm
Late spring to early summer
Yes
None
Perennial
Bat
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