Day Nineteen – White Tank Mountains

Something that neither of us had seen before, and wanted to, was a saguaro cactus. Well, we found way more than one, as we headed towards Phoenix! Driving south on Highway 17 once you get through Black Canyon, there they are. The epitome of the desert southwest, the saguaro cactus. Their dark green forms were standing on the flats and hillsides of the arid lands with their arms extended upwards. Often, these large cacti were silhouetted on the hillsides.

To get a closer view and more information about this cactus, we went to the White Tank Mountain Park, a short distance west of Phoenix. There are numerous trails, picnic spots, and camping areas in this great local park. 

We learned that the saguaro cactus, which is a protected plant, get very old. In fact, they are about 50 to 75 years old before they grow their first arm. In some instances where the land is really arid, a saguaro may be 100 years old before it grows its first arm. Ultimately, they may live for several hundred years.

Essentially, the saguaro cactus is the local “tree” for this area. They can grow up to 40 feet tall. They have vertical ridges on which their sharp spines grow. I felt rather short standing next to this saguaro.

When the saguaro blooms, its small yellow flowers bud at the very top and at the tip of each arm. We saw them in bloom in mid-May. Bees, and other pollinators, are drawn to the numerous flowers spread across the desert. (If you zoom in you can see a bee ready to dive in for some nectar)

Although the typical picture of a saguaro shows it with two arms pointing upward, older cacti can have quite a few more arms. Some have 40 arms growing in many directions or even wrapping around the main trunk.

While learning about the saguaro, we also learned about other types of cacti that grow in this region, like the teddy bear cholla and the barrel cactus.

As we ambled along the trails in White Tank, in addition to the mesquite and cacti, we spotted numerous birds and lizards that also call this desert “home”. 

There were some “skeletons” of saguaro that had died laying in places alongside the trails. They were interesting to inspect because you could see the internal structure of the cactus. 

A saguaro “forest” is certainly different from the evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest, but the plants and animals that inhabit it have perfectly adapted to the desert climate. We were grateful to visit this little piece of desert and get up close to the saguaro cactus.