Do saguaros count as trees? Asking for a friend…
May 16th is love a tree day but I want to talk about saguaros so I’m calling them trees. Cacti are a little harder to love than trees. Seriously, don’t try to hug a saguaro. Love them from a distance.
Saguaros are not endangered or threatened but they are protected. What does that mean? You better not be caught cutting one down unless you want to spend 25 years in prison. Vandalism and theft are also illegal. If you need to move a saguaro, you gotta get a permit.
We take our cacti seriously in Arizona.
Saguaros can live for 150-200 years. The average 40 feet in height. They are quite majestic to look at. It’s also fun to see how different they are all. Some have no arms, some have two. Some have several arms. And then there is the more rare crested saguaro.
Can you tell I love me some saguaro?
The biggest threat to saguaros is of course humans. As we build more and more they lose their land. The second biggest threat is climate change. Saguaros only grow in the very specific climate of Arizona. As Arizona becomes hotter and dryer, the saguaros will not be able to survive.
I hope we can get climate change under control to save the majestic saguaros.
Do you have a favorite cactus and why is it the saguaro? Totally kidding because I also love the prickly pear. But seriously, which cactus do you like the best?
Below are a few of the saguaro pictures I have taken over the years.
