Native to Arizona's Sonoran Desert, the southern tip of California, and the Mexican state of Sonora, the iconic saguaro cactus is the world's tallest, reaching heights of 50 feet (15 m) – but it's certainly in no hurry to get there.
In its first eight years of life, a saguaro cactus might grow only a single inch (2.5 cm), typically under the umbrella of a palo verde, mesquite, ironweed, or some other "nurse tree." When it finally does sprout, it will grow relatively – very relatively – quickly until it is fully branched, which can be anywhere from 50 to 100 years of age, largely depending on the amount of precipitation.
Generally speaking, a saguaro reaches its adult stage at around 125 years of age, weighing as much as 6 tons. While living for 150 to 175 years is normal, some experts believe a saguaro can reach 200 years or more, if conditions are right.
- Although a cactus can have very long roots, they stay near the surface in order to gather as much water as possible.
- The spines that cacti have instead of leaves can grow to 6 inches (15 cm) in length.
- Cacti need to be pollinated, and rely on bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats and moths to do so.