fourhundredyears
rising up
This cactus has sparked my curiosity. I'm no plant expert, but I thought I could identify the difference between a Saguaro and other similar species if tested. I had to return to this magnificent loner and wait for it to talk to me. But before that…
After a side by side comparison with a nearby Saguaro, pleats are spaced farther apart on the Saguaro with spines nearly identical. Stem and branch texture are pretty much the same. During flowering a month ago, flowers were plentiful and grew down stem which is a clear indicator of a Cardon. However, local reports this season have identified Saguaros with flowers growing down stem and branch. Ahh! aNyWaY...
As I listened for answers, a possible explanation was whispered. Well two actually.
First; the main stem was perfectly damaged early in life which gave way for the low branches to grow as replacement stems. All 4 branches, thinking they're stems, grew in harmony to survive the plant.
Second; decades earlier, a Hummingbird cross pollinated a Cardon flower with Saguaro pollen. Monsoon floods took the unique seed to the area and viola, hybrid!
Or maybe I’m overthinking this and it’s just a Cardon. The only Cardon in the entire 250 sq mile wilderness.
rising up
This cactus has sparked my curiosity. I'm no plant expert, but I thought I could identify the difference between a Saguaro and other similar species if tested. I had to return to this magnificent loner and wait for it to talk to me. But before that…
After a side by side comparison with a nearby Saguaro, pleats are spaced farther apart on the Saguaro with spines nearly identical. Stem and branch texture are pretty much the same. During flowering a month ago, flowers were plentiful and grew down stem which is a clear indicator of a Cardon. However, local reports this season have identified Saguaros with flowers growing down stem and branch. Ahh! aNyWaY...
As I listened for answers, a possible explanation was whispered. Well two actually.
First; the main stem was perfectly damaged early in life which gave way for the low branches to grow as replacement stems. All 4 branches, thinking they're stems, grew in harmony to survive the plant.
Second; decades earlier, a Hummingbird cross pollinated a Cardon flower with Saguaro pollen. Monsoon floods took the unique seed to the area and viola, hybrid!
Or maybe I’m overthinking this and it’s just a Cardon. The only Cardon in the entire 250 sq mile wilderness.