In the world of cacti, they don’t get any bigger than the cardon. Also known as ‘elephant cactus,’ this species can grow upwards of 60 feet and weigh in at 25 tons, with squat trunks and many branches. Despite the cardon’s massive size, it’s quite sensitive to frost, a trait which limits its range. The cardon primarily grows in the Baja Peninsula, where its night-blooming flowers attract species like the lesser long-nosed bat.
Mexican giant cardon cactus
Today in History
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Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
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World Oceans Day
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Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
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Anniversary of Bryce Canyon National Park
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Winter in Old Nuuk
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Welcome to the Year of the Pig
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
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An icy extravaganza
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In search of a ‘great’ pumpkin
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The scene of a literary crime
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A monastery in the mountain
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Celebrating World Wildlife Day
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World Oceans Day
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Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe
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A light at the edge of the world
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How Quảng Ngãi got its grove back
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Pi Day
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Apple trees in spring, Germany
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May the Fourth be with you…
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Bluebells in Hertfordshire, England
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National Hispanic Heritage Month
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Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, Utah
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Mardi Gras
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Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
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The roots of invention