It"s getting to be wildflower season in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. That means it won"t be long before we see blooms from the big daddy of the cactus world—the saguaro. Our homepage pic shows just a glimpse of this amazing succulent. The saguaro is the largest of them all, with some of the oldest specimens reaching more than 50 feet tall. It can hold huge amounts of water—after plentiful rains when it"s fully hydrated, a saguaro can weigh between 3,200 and 4,800 pounds. In the right conditions, it will live more than 100 years, growing arms as it ages, creating that classic cactus profile that"s associated with the desert and Old West.
© Jack Dykinga/Minden Pictures
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