The saguaro cactuses are really pumping out the flowers and seeds this spring! Instead of just flowering in a crown at the tips of the branches, the flowers are also growing down the sides.
The last time I saw this happen was in 2021, when scientists here speculated that it was in response to the record dry summer in 2020. They figured that after that stress, the saguaros were trying to put out as many seeds as possible in case of another bad year. Since we had an unusually dry winter this year, I wonder if that's why we're having another saguaro superbloom.
Every flower turns into a red fruit that contains about 2,000 tiny seeds. A full grown saguaro may generate as many as 200,000 possible offspring, although very few actually live to grow up.
The best examples I've seen of the flowers growing down the sides have been in the median strips when I'm driving, so I couldn't get photos. It's been too hot to get out hiking much to photograph them in the desert.
Have a colorful day
2 comments:
Sherrie, That's amazing! Interesting to know why it bloomed before and now again. So pretty.
Wonderful post and lovely photos.
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