The Sonoran Desert ecosystem is “only” about 10,000 years old, meaning it’s inherently unstable, Lata adds, with a blend of species still sorting out hierarchy and patterns. Some are adapted ...

In much of the Sonoran Desert habitat, saguaro cactuses are the dominant plant, towering above mesquite trees, agaves and barrel cacti. The saguaro cactus has a critical role in the desert community.

Over the last five years, researchers have found that the death rate for saguaros in the Phoenix area jumped from 1% to 2% ...

Sonoran Desert National Monument Cacti to see: Saguaros, cholla cacti, prickly pears, hedgehog cacti, and barrel cacti Saguaros abound at the Sonoran Desert National Monument .

President Teddy Roosevelt, the quintessential conservationist, said, "A grove of giant redwoods or sequoias should be kept just as we keep a great and beautiful cathedral.” While in Tucson, Arizona, ...

Exclusively found in the Sonoran desert, these cactuses grow the state flower of Arizona — the saguaro cactus flower. They are the tallest cactuses in America and can live up to 200 years. The ...

Barrel cactuses are shielded from harmful ultraviolet rays at the Desert Botanical Garden. Some cactuses that are brought from other places need a little extra shade to thrive in the Phoenix summers.