Saguaro
Tall desert cactus
A saguaro is a large cactus native to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and northwestern Mexico, recognizable by its tall columnar trunk and upward-curving arms.
Saguaros grow extremely slowly, taking decades to develop their distinctive branching shape, and can live over 150 years.
The saguaro is an iconic symbol of the American Southwest.
Spiny desert plant
- succulentMoist and flavorful
- areolePigmented ring or cactus node
- spineColumn of vertebrae
- pleatsDoubled-over fabric folds
ribs · flower · bloom · fruit · pollination · waxy · photosynthesis · stomata
Kept from harm
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- permitOfficial written authorization
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
- preserveProtect from loss
transplant · climate change · disease · die-off · slow growth · longevity · centenarian · monitoring
Of a specific southwestern desert
- Arizona48th state admitted
- MexicoNorth American southern nation
- aridDevoid of water
- droughtProlonged water scarcity
monsoon · bajada · arroyo · wash · creosote · cholla · prickly pear · desert floor
Flying mammal or sports club
- hawkTaloned predatory bird
- ospreyFish-catching bird of prey
- roostingSettling to sleep aloft
- perchingResting while gripping
pollinator · insect · lizard · packrat · javelina · bird habitat · burrow · shelter
Gathering mature crops
- ceremonialRelating to formal rites
- IndigenousOriginal inhabitants of land
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- tribalOf a clan
tradition · gathering · Native American · symbol · cowboy · silhouette · postcard · landmark
cactus
Spiny desert plant
pleats · ribs · flower · bloom · fruit · pollination · waxy · photosynthesis · stomata · trunk
protected
Kept from harm
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- permitOfficial written authorization
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
preserve · transplant · climate change · disease · die-off · slow growth · longevity · centenarian · monitoring · tagging
Sonoran
Of a specific southwestern desert
drought · monsoon · bajada · arroyo · wash · creosote · cholla · prickly pear · desert floor · rocky slope
bat
Flying mammal or sports club
perching · pollinator · insect · lizard · packrat · javelina · bird habitat · burrow · shelter · ecosystem
harvest
Gathering mature crops
- ceremonialRelating to formal rites
- IndigenousOriginal inhabitants of land
- sacredWorthy of reverence
tribal · tradition · gathering · Native American · symbol · cowboy · silhouette · postcard · landmark · photography
- Southern ArizonaTucson, Sonoran Desert, University of Arizona, Vail, Broadway
- ArizonaPhoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale
- national parksYellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Everglades, Glacier National Park
- Southwestmesa, Monument Valley, Arizona, New Mexico, Grand Canyon
- Desert ParksJoshua Tree, Death Valley, White Sands, Big Bend, Great Basin
- American desertsMojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, Death Valley, Painted Desert, Mojave
Saguaromoss
Spore-bearing ground cover
lichen · duckweed · seedling · ground cover · algae
Saguarowater lily
Aquatic flowering plant
kelp · lotus · water hyacinth · mangrove · fern
- saguaro cactusGiant columnar desert succulent