We've been in AZ, specifically Picacho Peak state park for two months now, settling into a work routine and getting our bearings. We are in the midst of the Sonoran desert and surround by pretty much nothing but rock and cactus. At first glance, from the freeway from Phoenix to Tucson, it all looks pretty boring and desolate. As we've driven off the freeway, it becomes different and depends on the altitude as to what will be out there.
Picacho Peak is a unique point, part of an old volcano that has yet to be found. We are at Picacho Peak, across the freeway are the Picacho mountains and the freeway passes through, can you guess?, Picacho pass! Of course. The draw to the park is some camping, but most of all the trails. The popular one goes pretty much up the face, to the ridge, then on to the peak. It's 4 miles round trip, very steep and 3 1/2-4 hours. From the ridge to the peak cables offer the way to climb the steepness and the slick trail. This is the challenge for many people and great training. Some people come to "run" up. The peak is attainable from the backside also, a gentler trail, longer, 6 miles round trip, but you still end up at the cableways.
A unique bit of history, the peak was the western most battle site of the Civil war. A small skirmish occurred here and these days a reenactment is done every March. March is also flower time and the fields will be covered with blooming spring flowers, mostly Mexican poppy. Like watching the leaves change colors in New England, people will be watching for the flowers here.
So on to cactus. It's somewhat interesting learning about the different types, adaptability to the climate and uses. Cactus are put into different classes, just as trees and plants are. There are barrel types, Cholla (choya), prickly pear, and in a class by themselves saguaro (sawahro or sagwaro). The type we're all familiar with is the prickly pear type, they can be very small, and the fruit at the top can be eaten, juiced and cooked.
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| prickly pear |
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| so soft |
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| fish hook |
Cylindrical or barrels are all sizes, either clumps together or larger single barrel. All have needles of course, and they are not soft and the big one here is the fishhook cactus. The hooks are very tough and were used as such for fishing by the natives. Look at the edges of the cactus to see the hooks in profile.
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| Cholla |
The cholla type is a segmented type, more of a tree and branches. There is the teddy bear cholla, looks soft and cuddly but definitely isn't. The jumping cholla sends off small chunks of the branch, the needles stick in the ground and viola, a new cholla will grow. The ground can be littered with the offshoots, even the trails, a hazard to walking dogs. The prickly pear is also a segmented type.
The saguaro is pretty unique. It is shallow rooted and fluted and when it gets a lot of water, the flutes swell and it's a storage tank. They seem to grow between specific altitudes and some places it seems like a forest. Arms will grow after the cactus is 50 years old and overall they can be over 150 years old. They can also grow very tall. How many arms it grows indicates how much water it may have gotten. They provide homes, food and shelter for the desert animals, even when they fall over and die. When birds build a nest, they dig out the outer shell but don't harm the interior core. A scar forms around the bird hole and seals the shell up. A special type of saguaro is the Organ Pipe cactus and there is a national monument on the southern border just for them. The saguaro is the state cactus and protected in Arizona.
Cylindrical or barrels are all sizes, either clumps together or larger single barrel. All have needles of course, and they are not soft and the big one here is the fishhook cactus. The hooks are very tough and were used as such for fishing by the natives. Look at the edges of the cactus to see the hooks in profile.
The saguaro is pretty unique. It is shallow rooted and fluted and when it gets a lot of water, the flutes swell and it's a storage tank. They seem to grow between specific altitudes and some places it seems like a forest. Arms will grow after the cactus is 50 years old and overall they can be over 150 years old. They can also grow very tall. How many arms it grows indicates how much water it may have gotten. They provide homes, food and shelter for the desert animals, even when they fall over and die. When birds build a nest, they dig out the outer shell but don't harm the interior core. A scar forms around the bird hole and seals the shell up. A special type of saguaro is the Organ Pipe cactus and there is a national monument on the southern border just for them. The saguaro is the state cactus and protected in Arizona.
