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Cactaceae
Saguaro Cactus Flower
Carnegiea gigantea
Endurance, survival, the desert spirit.
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Carnegiea
- Native to
- Sonoran Desert (Arizona, California, Mexico)
- Bloom season
- Late Spring, Early Summer
- Type
- tree-like cactus
- Height
- 10–20 m
- Sunlight
- Full desert sun
- Soil
- Sandy, rocky, well-drained
- Water
- Very low; drought tolerant
- Hardiness
- 9–11
- Lifespan
- 150–200+ years
Did you know
- The saguaro flower is the state wildflower of Arizona and only blooms on plants 35–60 years old or older.
- Saguaro flowers open at night and stay open through the next morning, attracting bats, hummingbirds, doves, and bees in succession.
- A mature saguaro can live over 200 years and weigh 1,800 kg or more when fully hydrated after summer rains.
- Saguaros are protected by law in Arizona — disturbing or harming one can result in fines and even prison time.
- The fruit of the saguaro has been a sacred food of the Tohono O'odham people for millennia, harvested with poles made from saguaro ribs.