Melbie Toast
The Mighty Saguaro Cactus (Fractalius)
Please View Same Cactus in B&W
I love the majestic qualities of the mighty Saguaro cactus, the great symbol of my adopted and beloved state, Arizona. This photo of a towering and majestic Saguaro Cactus was taken at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. I used Photoshop filer Fractalius in postprocessing.
INFORMATION ON THE SAGUARO CACTUS:
The Saguaro, pronounced "sah-wah-roh", (Carnegiea gigantea) is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and California, United States and northern Mexico.
Saguaros are slow growing, taking up to 75 years to develop a side arm. The arms themselves are grown to increase the plants reproductive capacity (more apices equal more flowers and fruit). The growth rate of saguaros is strongly dependent on local precipitation patterns, and saguaros in drier western Arizona grow only half as fast as those in and around Tucson, Arizona. Some specimens may live for more than 150 years; the champion saguaro grows in Maricopa County, Arizona and is 13.8 m tall with a girth of 3.1 m. (It was injured as a result of the Cave Creek Complex fire in June 2005.) In addition to being slow growing, they are also slow to propagate. These two factors argue for the placement of the saguaro on the endangered species list, although they are not on any such list. Harming one in any manner (including cactus plugging) is illegal by state law in Arizona, and when houses or highways are built, special permits must be obtained to move or destroy any saguaro affected.
The ribs of the saguaro are used for construction and other purposes by aboriginal Americans of the region. A fine example can be seen in the roofing of the cloisters of the Mission San Xavier del Bac on the Tohono O'odham lands near Tucson, Arizona. The Seri people of northwestern Mexico used the plant, which they call mojépe, for a number of purposes.
The saguaro blossom is the state flower of Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
The Mighty Saguaro Cactus (Fractalius)
Please View Same Cactus in B&W
I love the majestic qualities of the mighty Saguaro cactus, the great symbol of my adopted and beloved state, Arizona. This photo of a towering and majestic Saguaro Cactus was taken at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. I used Photoshop filer Fractalius in postprocessing.
INFORMATION ON THE SAGUARO CACTUS:
The Saguaro, pronounced "sah-wah-roh", (Carnegiea gigantea) is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and California, United States and northern Mexico.
Saguaros are slow growing, taking up to 75 years to develop a side arm. The arms themselves are grown to increase the plants reproductive capacity (more apices equal more flowers and fruit). The growth rate of saguaros is strongly dependent on local precipitation patterns, and saguaros in drier western Arizona grow only half as fast as those in and around Tucson, Arizona. Some specimens may live for more than 150 years; the champion saguaro grows in Maricopa County, Arizona and is 13.8 m tall with a girth of 3.1 m. (It was injured as a result of the Cave Creek Complex fire in June 2005.) In addition to being slow growing, they are also slow to propagate. These two factors argue for the placement of the saguaro on the endangered species list, although they are not on any such list. Harming one in any manner (including cactus plugging) is illegal by state law in Arizona, and when houses or highways are built, special permits must be obtained to move or destroy any saguaro affected.
The ribs of the saguaro are used for construction and other purposes by aboriginal Americans of the region. A fine example can be seen in the roofing of the cloisters of the Mission San Xavier del Bac on the Tohono O'odham lands near Tucson, Arizona. The Seri people of northwestern Mexico used the plant, which they call mojépe, for a number of purposes.
The saguaro blossom is the state flower of Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia