Saguaro cacti near Windgate Pass, McDowell Range, Arizona, United States

Saguaro cacti, Windgate Pass, McDowell Range, Arizona, USA

'Stick around' takes on a new meaning in the Sonoran Desert, where the saguaro cactus has mastered survival. With trunks and arms raised in all directions, this giant has become the American Southwest's mascot.

Saguaros—the tallest cacti in the United States—occur only in the Sonoran Desert across Arizona, California and Mexico. They can reach over 12 metres in height, weigh up to 5.4 tonnes and live for nearly 200 years. Yet they begin life slowly, growing about 2.5–3.8 centimetres in their first years. Most wait 50 to 75 years to grow arms, while some remain armless 'spears.'

Built for harsh conditions, saguaros store water in pleated trunks that swell after rain and shrink in drought. Their roots spread up to 30 metres to absorb brief showers. Young plants often grow beneath nurse trees for protection. By age 35, they bloom with flowers, while woodpeckers carve nesting holes later used by owls and wrens. Tough, patient and always sharp, the saguaro proves desert life is no small matter.