Carnegiea gigantea , commonly screw as Saguaro , is a very behind - grow cactus that may tally only 1 to 1,5 inches ( 2.5 to 3.8 atomic number 96 ) in the first eight years . Saguaro grows arms or lateral theme , but it may take up to 75 days to produce the first one . This cactus is long - lived . Many specimens find in the desert are 175 years sometime .
Saguaro has a bbl - shaped body with peripheral shank called arm . The exterior of the trunk is pleated due to the way it grows . The pleat inflate , allowing the cactus to gather additional water in the showery season and store it in its tissue . An grownup cactus may matter 6 tons or more when take with water and require a strong interior musical accompaniment skeleton of connected ribs . A untried growing Saguaro may only be a few inch magniloquent as ten - year - sure-enough flora and take decennary to resemble adults .
This cactus is native to and only grows in the Sonoran Desert . Saguaro is not found in the intact desert but only in domain that do not freeze and at certain ALT . The freezing point is one of the most important considerations of where Saguaro grow . It is found from sea tier up to 4,000 feet ( 1,220 m ) . If it is raise above 4,000 feet ( 1,220 m ) , it survives only on south slope with few freezes of short length . Saguaro is an significant part of the desert ecology as a home ground and solid food .
Photo via transitiontownpayson.net
It is not sound to procure a Saguaro for home cultivation by digging it out of the desert . Beyond that , a mature Saguaro almost always dies when transplanted .
Saguaro infant get under the protective covering of nurse Tree . They will proceed to spring up , and often , their nursemaid tree will expire . It is thought that the Saguaro may make the nurse tree to die by contend for resourcefulness . The nursemaid trees shelter Saguaro babe from the sun ’s harsh ray and disperse wet from evaporation .
Saguaro require to grow in well - enfeeble moxie and get low water layer , with thesoildrying whole between watering . yearly fertilizing with cactus food for thought in springtime will help the plant complete its growth cycle .
vulgar cactuspests , such as plate and mealy bug , will ask manual or chemical control .
Saguaro is slow to develop and can be 35 yr of geezerhood or older before produce the first blossom . The flowers are creamy - white , about 3 inches ( 7.5 cm ) in diameter , and appear from May until June . They only open at night and nigh during the day , which entail they are pollinated by moth , chiropteran , and other nocturnal creatures . The peak are generally located at the ending of the arms but may occasionally decorate the cactus ' sides . They are the state flower of Arizona .
Source : gardeningknowhow.com
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