The Rare Crested Saguaro
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! With the holiday season upon us, I’m sure everyone has a lot to do, so let’s dive right in to this month’s question from Linda K. of Kayenta, Ariz.:
On a recent trip to Scottsdale I visited the Desert Botanical Garden and saw what looked like a saguaro cactus with a deformed top. What happened to it?
The cactus you spotted was probably a crested saguaro. Relatively rare, crested saguaros are easily identified by their gnarled, fan-shaped tops, as shown in the picture above. Researchers disagree on exactly what causes the plant’s growing tip (the apex) to go awry. Theories include everything from lighting strikes to genetic abnormalities. The most widely accepted explanation is that cresting is caused by damage to the apex, either mechanically (man made or nature-caused) or by freezing. The crest doesn’t harm the saguaro, which can continue to produce flowers and fruit. It is estimated that this condition affects approximately one out of every 200,000 saguaros.
Speaking of the Desert Botanical Garden, if you’re planning a trip to Scottsdale between now and December 23 and can fit an evening visit to the Garden into your itinerary, you’re in for a treat. Each year during Las Noches de las Luminarias, the Garden’s pathways are illuminated after dark by thousands of glowing candles. As you stroll the candle-lit trails, musicians and performing artists, ranging from jazz duos and Native American flutists to handbell choirs and cowboy storytellers, will keep you entertained. It’s a beautiful and unique way to explore the flora of the Sonoran Desert!
Tickets for Las Noches de las Luminarias and the optional dinner buffet are available atwww.dbg.org, at the Garden’s box office or by calling 480-481-8188. Some nights are already sold out, so if you’d like to experience this unique event, be sure to get your tickets soon!
Happy holidays!
