By Rob Hallberg
Next to the 10-gallon hat, there is no more widely recognized symbol of the Southwest than the giant Saguaro cactus. The bloom of the Saguaro is the Arizona state flower and it is even found on our license plates.
The Saguaro cactus is unique to the Southwest as it only grows in the Sonoran Desert, which spans Southern Arizona and Western Mexico. Saguaros typically grow in areas under 3,000 feet elevation, as they cannot survive the cold climate of higher elevations.
Saguaros can live for over 100 years, sport several arms and grow to heights exceeding 40 feet. The largest Saguaro on record was approximately 200 years old and 46 feet tall! They are very slow growing, and it often takes 60 years before a Saguaro develops arms.
The Saguaro is not an endangered species, but they are highly regulated in Arizona. Removing or defacing a Saguaro is a felony – even on your own land! Builders must obtain approval for removal of Saguaros and are required to replant them. You may see a “Saguaro Forest” where homes are being built while they wait to be replanted in the development. When we purchased one for our home it came with a tag to prove it was transplanted legally.
The fruit of the Saguaro cactus has been a staple of the Tohono O’Odham culture for thousands of years. They harvest the fruit using long poles and the syrup makes a sweet jam, ceremonial wine or other delicacies. According to Tohono O’Odham lore, the Saguaro was once human, and they are honored in ceremony today.
