You are here

National Park Mystery Photo 24 Revealed: Some Saguaros Stand Tall Even After They're Gone

Saguaro skeleton, Saguaro National Park, Kurt Repanshek photo.

The ribs that remain after the pulp of a dead saguaro cactus vanishes are indeed spindly. Kurt Repanshek photo.

Not being a frequent visitor to the Sonoran desert, when I first spied a downed and dead saguaro cactus in Saguaro National Park, I really wasn't sure what to make out of the bundle of "sticks." Only after I spied an upright bundle did I put the pieces together in my mind.

The accompanying photo was taken from the parking lot of the park's Red Hills Visitor Center in the Tuscon Mountain District. Field guides and websites provided some interesting information to accompany this "skeleton":

* 40,000,000

Estimated number of seeds a 150-200 year-old saguaro will produce during its lifetime.

* 1,600,000

Estimated number of individual sagauro cactus plants in the park.

* 16,000

Weight, in pounds, of a large, well-hydrated saguaro, which is typically 85 percent water.

* 35

Years it could take a saguaro to reach six feet in height under the best of growing conditions.

* 1

Number of seeds, out of the 40 million a mature saguaro might produce over its lifetime, that germinate and grow to maturity.

* The saguaro is the largest cactus in the United States.

* Those "ribs" are what's left after the pulp from a dead saguaro vanishes. They've been used for fencing and furniture, among other things.

Add comment

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.