Art-by-Bart (B.Stegman)
Cristate saguaro
From the National Park Service website: The saguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) is a truly iconic symbol of the Sonoran Desert. Its remarkable size and ability to endure harsh desert conditions has endeared it to many people.
Cristate or “crested” saguaros form when the cells in the growing stem begin to divide outward, rather than in the circular pattern of a normal cactus. This is an unusual mutation which results in the growth of a large fan-shaped crest at the growing tip of a saguaro’s main stem or arms.
The cause for this mutation is unknown; however, there has been some speculation about the presence of a “trigger,” which may initiate the process. One heavily implicated
trigger is frost, as crested saguaros tend to be more common in the northernmost parts of their range. Unfortunately there is not enough evidence to confirm this theory. I took this shot in Saguaro National Park East.
Cristate saguaro
From the National Park Service website: The saguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) is a truly iconic symbol of the Sonoran Desert. Its remarkable size and ability to endure harsh desert conditions has endeared it to many people.
Cristate or “crested” saguaros form when the cells in the growing stem begin to divide outward, rather than in the circular pattern of a normal cactus. This is an unusual mutation which results in the growth of a large fan-shaped crest at the growing tip of a saguaro’s main stem or arms.
The cause for this mutation is unknown; however, there has been some speculation about the presence of a “trigger,” which may initiate the process. One heavily implicated
trigger is frost, as crested saguaros tend to be more common in the northernmost parts of their range. Unfortunately there is not enough evidence to confirm this theory. I took this shot in Saguaro National Park East.