OtterKnow Kids EncyclopediaThe saguaro is the biggest cactus in the United States! It can grow up to 40 feet tall, which is about as high as a four-story building. Saguaro cacti only grow in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and parts of Mexico.
The saguaro does not even start to grow its famous arms until it is about 75 years old! In late spring, beautiful white flowers bloom at the tips of the arms, and they only open at night. These flowers are the state flower of Arizona. The flowers later turn into sweet red fruits that birds, bats, and people love to eat.
- Saguaro cacti are like desert hotels because so many animals make their homes inside them!
- Woodpeckers poke holes in the thick trunk to build nests, and after they move out, tiny owls, hawks, and other birds move right in.
- It is against the law to harm a saguaro cactus in Arizona because they are so special and important.
