In the foothills of the Rincon Mountains of Arizona you will find one of the true icons of the American southwest, the Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). These amaizing plants can grow up to 60 feet tall & weigh over 2 tons when fully hydrated. They are slow growing. A 10 year old plant may be only 1.5 inches tall & it can take up to 75 years to develop its first arm. A surprisingly shallow root system extending about one foot deep & a tap root no more than three feet deep, anchors this behemouth to the ground. You won't truly know America until you experience these mighty sentinels of the Sonoran Desert.
Saguaro National Park
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