Saguaro cactus seedling1/11/2024 This age-height relationship provides insight into how saguaro establishment varies over time in response to land use change, climate change, and other local, regional, national and even global influences (Steenbergh and Lowe 1977, Pierson et al. For example, in the park’s west district, a saguaro is approximately 4 inches (10.7 cm) when it is 15 years old, and approximately 7 feet (2.1 m) when it is 50 (Steenbergh and Lowe 1983). The age of a saguaro can be estimated with some precision based on its height, using a generalized growth curve adjusted for local conditions. Mature saguaros produce thousands of seeds each year, but establishment is episodic in that seedlings survive only during favorable periods with several consecutive years of cooler, wetter weather (Steenbergh and Lowe 1977). The saguaro fruit is also a traditional food source for the Tohono O’odham people, and the harvest of the saguaro fruit is a very important part of their culture (Bruhn 1971). They produce white flowers that open at night during April through June, followed by large red fruits that are consumed by many desert animals. Young saguaros grow very slowly, not reaching reproductive age until they are 35–65 years old. Research on saguaros over the past century has revealed much about the plant’s growth, reproduction, population dynamics, and use by people and wildlife. It is the namesake of Saguaro National Park, which was created (initially as a national monument) in 1933 to study, interpret, and protect the “giant cactus” and other unique Sonoran Desert species. The saguaro cacti ( Carnegiea gigantea Britton & Rose) is one of the world’s most iconic plants and a symbol of the desert Southwest. ![]() Theresa Foley, Climate Science Specialist, Sonora Environmental Research Institute, Inc.Conver, PhD Candidate, Department of Geography and GIS, University of Cincinnati, Ohio Winkler, Research Ecologist, Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Swann, Biologist, Saguaro National Park, National Park Service
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