![]() Due to bacteria or other problems, an old giant will begin to decay, or rot. The cactus in the photo below has been sheltered for many years underneath the branches of an old paloverde tree.Įvery-now-and-then. The branches also shelter the growing cacti from harsh sunlight and colder temperatures. The trees' lower thorny branches protect the young cacti from hungry plant-eating animals. In order to grow, saguaros need the shelter of other plants, such as shrubs and trees. A young 12 inch (30 cm) tall saguaro, such as the one in the lower left photo, may be as old as 25 years. And to think, this was only one arm on this enormous cactus, which reached high into the sky.ĭid you know that a saguaro grows so slowly that a plant which is only two inches (5 cm) tall may be as old as ten years. How many boots can you count? I see quite a few. The nests would have been surrounded with thick moist pulp and waxy spiny skin. ![]() I'm sure those young birds stayed cool and protected when the cactus was alive, like the plant in the left photo. Do you see any that remind you of a "boot?" Now you can see why the nests got the name- "boot." One of the nests is over 2 feet (61 cm) long. The nests are still attached to the woody rods that once supported this huge cactus arm. Notice the old saguaro nests on the dead cactus above. Other desert birds also use the nests for raising their young and for roosting.īelow (left), you can see the circle of long woody rods from a dead saguaro, next to live cacti, in a cactus forest. When the woodpeckers move out, one of the world's tiniest owls moves in-the Elf Owl. The tissue hardens into the shapes created by the birds, which often look similar to shoes. In fact, the old dried nesting holes are called saguaro "boots." They can be found among dead saguaros (see photos below). After the bird hacks into the cactus, the plant heals its deep wound by sealing the cavity with a cork-like tissue. The birds peck deeply into the cactus, creating just enough room to lay their eggs and raise their young. Animals, such as Gila (HEE-la) woodpeckers, hollow out nesting holes in the upper parts of a saguaro's trunk and branches. Saguaro cacti provide food and shelter for many desert animals. The cactus will need to use that water during the dry season This allows the cactus to expand as water is stored inside it from seasonal rains. The trunk-like stem is grooved like an accordion. The rods help support the cactus's heavy trunk and arm-like branches. Inside the saguaro, is a circle of long woody rods, called ribs. The saguaro's unusual shapes make them look as if they are tall prickly people. ![]() These majestic plants can grow taller than a two-story building, and live to be well over a hundred years of age. (#1) The saguaro (suh-WAHR-oh) cactus is one of the tallest cactuses (or cacti) in the world.
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