General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Plant Height: 10 to 53 feet (9-16m)
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Other: Red when ripe.
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Nocturnal
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: 2"-3"
3"-4"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Underground structures: Taproot
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Uses: Flowering Tree
Will Naturalize
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Raw
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Pollinators: Bats
Birds
Bees
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Saguaro
  • Giant Cactus
  • Sahuaro
  • Mojepe
  • Saguo
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Carnegiea gigantea
  • Synonym: Cereus giganteus

Photo Gallery
Location: Sentinel Peak Road, Tucson, AZ
Date: 2021-11-28
A beautiful plant at a friend and neighbor's house in Tucson. Mig
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Date: 2008-05-16
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2011-05-26
Just a close up and more detailed photo of the cactus flower

Photo credit: Tomas Castelazo
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Date: 2023-05-16
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2010-03-16
Early Spring after the rains of Winter shows lush green growth in
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ 
Date: 2011-05-26
Saguaro blooms, AZ state flower. Catch them while you can as they

Photo courtesy of: davidbygott
Location: Sentinel Peak, Tucson, Arizona
Date: 2007-03-15
Blooms and flying bugs on an A Mountain Saguaro
Photo by Aguane
Photo by AgaveGirl1
Location: San Tan Valley, AZ
Date: 2013-04-17
For reference I am 5 feet 3 inches tall. This is the biggest Sagu
Location: North of New River, AZ
Date: 2011-12-27
Taken with my iPhone. Saguaro growing in natual habitat about 1 h
Location: Bella Vista Drive, Tucson, Arizona
Date: 2016-04-12
Gila Woodpecker in a Saguaro
Photo by Aguane
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Date: 2011-04-17
Baby Starling raised in the Gila Woodpecker space. Starlings will
Location: Beeline Hwy AZ
Date: Spring 2016
My favorite cactus, it represents such majesty.
Location: San Tan Valley Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2010-03-16
Shows the growth pattern and pleats/furrows of the Saguaro.  They
Location: near Tucson, Arizona.
Date: May
credit: Ken Bosma.
Photo by AgaveGirl1
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-05-24
18-month-old plants, still so cute
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Photo by jamesicus
Location: San Antonio, Tx 
Date: 2012-03-13
Location: San Tan Valley Mountain Regional Park, Az
Date: 2013-04-17
Yoga anyone?  Nobody is quite sure why Saguaros have different gr
Location: Gilbert, AZ
Date: 2017-09-08
Full moon in the background
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2013-04-17
good, up close, detailed look at the dead 'flesh' and skeleton of
Location: Superstition Mtn, Arizona
Date: July 2007
Location: Catalina Mountains, Arizona
Date: 2009-02-09
Saguaros on the finger rock trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains
Location: Botanical Garden 'Botanicactus' - Mallorca
Date: 2011-05-02
Location: Mesa, AZ.
Date: 2015-04-18
New growth on a 2.5 foot tall Saguaro
Location: South Bella Vista Drive, Tucson, AZ
Date: 2023-09-10
A saguaro cactus with a prickly pear cactus growing at a joint:
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2013-04-17
Nice closeup of arms of Saguaro
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2013-04-17
Great example of body and arms; gives an idea of height
Location: San Tan Valley Mountain Regional Park, Az
Date: 2013-04-17
dying Saguaro

Date: 2015-02-27
Location: Gilbert, AZ
Date: April 2017
What a saguaro looks like once it's been cut down. Very sad.
Location: Boyce Thompson Arboretum, AZ.
Date: 2015-01-18
Photo by AgaveGirl1
Location: Arizona 
Date: 7-4-07
Location: Bella Vista Dr., Tucson, AZ
Date: 2014-12-26
Cactus Wrens standing proudly on the spines of a Saguaro
Location: Springs Preserve garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Date: June
photo by Stan Shebs
Location: Burger's Desert - Arnhem
Location: Gilbert, AZ
Date: April 2017
Do not plant these close to your house! This cactus had to be des
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: Boyce Thompson Arboretum, AZ.
Date: 2014-05-18
Location: Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis
Date: 2018-03-31
Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, Az
Date: 2013-04-17
Feel sad to include this one but thought it interesting to note t
Location: NYBG 
Date: June 14 22
Location: Superstition Mtn, Arizona
Date: July 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Date: 2011-04-27
Gila Woodpecker peeking out of nest. Normally where Saguaro grow
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Date: 2011-04-17
Gila Woodpecker has carved out a space to nest.
Location: Catalina Mountains, Arizona
Date: 2009-03-17
Wooden skeleton of a dead Saguaro
Photo by jeffgreen
Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2023-04-23
Location: Osaka Prefectural Flower Garden, Osaka, Japan.
Date: November 12, 2010
Photo by KENPEI
Location: Botanical Garden 'Botanicactus' - Mallorca
Date: 2010-11-06
Location: Burger's Desert - Arnhem
Date: 2013-12-06
Carnegiea gigantea - Cactus Oase
Location: Burger's Desert - Arnhem
Date: 2013-06-22
Location: Superstition Mtns, Arizona
Date: July 2007
Location: 98108
Date: 2012-12-13
in ground in Volunteer park conservitory Sea Wa
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on Sep 3, 2019 3:03 PM concerning plant:
    The saguaro is an iconic spiny cactus tree of the Sonoran Desert. It may grow to about 50 feet (in rare cases much larger) with branches. Stems are green, with 12-30 sharply marked ribs. Flowers are white and appear near the tips of the stems. Fruit is red, fleshy, edible, and dehiscent. Provide strong light and excellent drainage in cultivation. Drought tolerant when established. Mature plants can be really striking. This is the only species in its genus.

    Found in subtropical Arizona and Sonora (34°N to 26°N) and on some islands in the Gulf of California, but not found in Baja California, where it is replaced with the cardón gigante (Pachycereus pringlei). Also found in a few small populations in southeastern California near the Arizona border. Relatively common in habitat and often found growing on rocky or sandy substrates. Its northern extent (34°N) and maximum altitude (1350m) reflect its limits in cold tolerance; its western extent (just west of the Colorado River) is thought to be limited by summer rainfall. Protected by law in Arizona.

    This plant may be easy to confuse with the giant cardón (Pachycereus pringlei), especially when young. Geography is a useful clue to distinguish them (Arizona and Sonora are saguaro country; Baja California is the home of the cardón). Saguaros tend to grow slower than cardones, but neither is likely to get near its full size in your lifetime, grown from seed (as these plants are propagated). Saguaros tend to be less massive and branch higher up than cardones, and their flowers are different.
  • Posted by robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Apr 20, 2013 9:08 AM concerning plant:
    Arizona's state flower.
  • Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Jan 29, 2013 5:41 PM concerning plant:
    This classic cactus shows upright, slow growth up to 50ft, with occasional branching. Hardy to 15F. Bears edible fruits with red pulp that are used in jams and pastries.
  • Posted by Johannian (The Black Hills, SD - Zone 4b) on Jan 11, 2022 9:16 PM concerning plant:
    Pronunciation: Sah-wah'-ro. Range: extreme southeastern California to southern Arizona and northern Sonora.
Plant Events from our members
AimeeLane On April 17, 2015 Seeds germinated
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Great shot by lasertrimguy Apr 23, 2019 11:43 PM 0

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page