Skip to content

Tjs Garden

Join our travels through Arizona's Sonora Desert. Discover extraordinary desert plants and animals. Tag along our adventures through sheltered areas of Northern Arizona. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Tjs Garden

Tag: cactus flower blossom

When do the Saguaro Cactus flowers bloom?

When do the Saguaro Cactus flowers bloom?

The Saguaro cactus will produce white flowers from April to June.  This beautiful desert show only occurs 2 months out of the year.

This breath-taking Saguaro Cactus Blossom was designated Arizona’s State Flower in 1931.

buds on the saguaro cactus
Arizona Saguaro Blossom, white cactus flowers

The Saguaro flowers are velvety white, and emit a sweet nectar that attracts bats. During the night the flowers are pollinated by the Mexican long-tongued bat and the lesser long-nosed bat.

White flower cactus bloom pollinated
Gila woodpecker eating the Saguaro Cactus Flower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the daytime the flowers are pollinated by bees and birds.

Buds on the Saguaro Cactus
Silky white flower of the Giant Saguaro Cactus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arizona Saguaro Blossom flower
Saguaros starting to bloom at Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro Cactus (pronounced “sah-wah-roh”), is an icon of the American west.

Arizona’s Saguaro National Park provides the ideal conditions for sustaining dense stands of the famous saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea.

Saguaro National Park
Majestic Giant Saguaro Cactus in Tucson, Carnegiea gigantea

Saguaro blossoms are usually found near the tops of the stems and arms of the giant cactus.

buds on the top of Saguaro cactus
White flowers bloom at the top of the Saguaro Cactus

There can be close to a hundred of these creamy white flowers on ONE Saguaro!

Saguaro cactus plant in Arizona
Giant cactus over 150 years old at Saguaro National Park
caus bloom in Saguaro National Park
Arizona State Flower, Saguaro Cactus Blooms

Ever wonder what the Saguaro Cactus Flowers smell like?  The smell is very strong and I’d have to say these cactus blossoms smell like overripe melons!

We visit Saguaro Park many times throughout the year; but I have to say April through June is some of our favorite months.  If we get to the park in the early mornings we are sure to see the Saguaro Cactus with their white flowers open.

Arizona Cactus
The protected Saguaro Cactus

One of the great MASTERS of desert survival is The Giant Saguaro Cactus.  Every aspect of this cactus plant is specifically designed to thrive in the harsh Sonoran Desert.

Saguaro cactus design biology
Saguaro cactus expand to hold water

At 35 years of age the Saguaro Cactus will start to produce flowers.

Saguaro National Park cactus blooms
White flower of the Saguaro Cactus

The saguaro flower opens after sunset and by next early afternoon the blossom is wilted.

White flower on cactus
Saguaro cactus blooms at night

The white cactus flower repeats itself night after night. They have less than 24 hours to attract an animal to be pollinated.

A Saguaro can only be fertilized from a different cactus – cross pollination.

Saguaro National Park Cactus bloom
Saguaro Cactus Flowers / Blooms

At the top of the Saguaro flower tube is a dense group of yellow stamens.  The Saguaro Cactus has more stamen on its flower than any other desert cactus. Nectar accumulates at the bottom that attracts insects, bats, and birds.

pitahaya sahuara cactus
Giant Cactus are blooming at Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro flowers do not bloom all at the same time.  Only a few flowers bloom each night waiting to be pollinated and then wilt by early afternoon.

The cactus flowers that were pollinated will become red-fleshed saguaro fruits later in the summer.

pollinated Saguaro Cactus red fruit
Red fruit of the Saguaro Cactus

The animals, such as bats, that eat the red fruit help spread the Saguaro cactus seeds across the desert.

holes in the Saguaro cactus
Saguaro Cactus with holes and red fruit blooms

Each cactus fruit can contain up to 2000 small black seeds. Saguaro fruit is an excellent source of food and moisture for many desert animals.

red flowers on Saguaro cactus
seeds inside the red fruit of the Saguaro cactus

Arizona has strict regulations about the harvesting, collection or destruction of The Arizona Saguaro Cactus. It is illegal to harm a Saguaro in Arizona.

Nature is quite amazing!

Rate this:

SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
Author tjsgardenPosted on April 23, 2015April 23, 2015Format GalleryCategories Arizona Bats, Arizona Parks, Arizona Wildflowers, Arizona Wildlife, Birds, Cactus, Cactus Blooms, Desert Plants, Desertscape, Drought Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Flowering Cactus, Flowers, Heat Resistant Plants, Saguaro, Saguaro Cactus Blossom, Saguaro National Park, Unique Garden Items, XeriscapeTags Arizona State Flower, bats in Arizona, cactus flower blossom, cactus fruit food, can you eat a cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, flowers bloom at night, Giant Saguaros, how animals survive in the desert, how old are saguaros, pitahaya, saguaro arms, Saguaro Cactus Seed, saguaro facts, Saguaro Flowers, saguaro fruits, saguaro in tucson, Saguaro national Park Photos, saguaro red flower, sahuara, seeds inside red fruit, things to do in Tucson, Tucson Activities, what animals drink in the desert, what animals eat in the desert, what do cactus flowers smell like, when do cactus flowers open, when do saguaro bloom, white flower on saguaro, white flowers smell like7 Comments on When do the Saguaro Cactus flowers bloom?

Categories

Some Favorites…

  • The difference between male and female mourning doves - Baby doves 17 days old - Part 4
    The difference between male and female mourning doves - Baby doves 17 days old - Part 4
  • SPIDER identified in my garden - black, gray, large abdomen, 4-6 white spots on belly
    SPIDER identified in my garden - black, gray, large abdomen, 4-6 white spots on belly
  • Bean pods on bushes with orange, yellow and red flowers - Growing tips
    Bean pods on bushes with orange, yellow and red flowers - Growing tips
  • What is my plant hardiness zone? USDA climate plant growing zone map - Know your gardening zone
    What is my plant hardiness zone? USDA climate plant growing zone map - Know your gardening zone
  • Curve-billed Thrasher - AZ desert birds with personality!
    Curve-billed Thrasher - AZ desert birds with personality!
  • Drought Tolerant shrubs with Orange, Red and Yellow Flowers
    Drought Tolerant shrubs with Orange, Red and Yellow Flowers
  • Gambel's Quail are our favorite daily desert bird visitors - Callipepla gambelii
    Gambel's Quail are our favorite daily desert bird visitors - Callipepla gambelii
  • The best time to see the Saguaro cactus bloom
    The best time to see the Saguaro cactus bloom
  • Arkenstone Cave in AZ - Protected living cave at Colossal Park
    Arkenstone Cave in AZ - Protected living cave at Colossal Park
  • Mourning Doves are vigilant parents - baby, mourning dove feeding - Part 2
    Mourning Doves are vigilant parents - baby, mourning dove feeding - Part 2

Blog Stats

  • 1,447,093 Amazing Readers

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 692 other followers

Follow Tjs Garden on WordPress.com

Design your own blog...

  • Learn WordPress.com

Legal

  • Tjs Privacy Policy

Category Cloud

Arizona Parks Arizona Traveling Arizona Wildlife Birds Cactus, Succulents Desert Plants Doves Drought Resistant Drought Tolerant Flowering Cactus Flowering Desert Shrub Bush Flowers Free Pictures Hardy Plants Heat Resistant Plants Perennials Pet Photos Pond and Fish Red Bird of Paradise Saguaro Saguaro National Park Sonoran Desert Spiders Top 10 Heat Resistant Plants Trees Tucson Unique Garden Items Vines Xeriscape Xeriscape, Desertscape

Most Popular Articles

Healthy dogs!
About Us
New baby Javelinas - pig like desert animals
Coyotes in Arizona - Desert photos
What insect looks like a green leaf? - true katydids - leaf bugs
When does Monsoon season start?   What causes Monsoon?
Sage bushes with Purple Flowers bring life to the desert!
What insect has one of the most PAINFUL stings? - meet the Tarantula Hawk wasp
Great Blue Heron in AZ - Facts and pictures about this Wading Bird
Arizona Coyotes - Prairie Wolf desert animals

Pages

  • About Us
  • Free photos
  • Privacy Policy
Tjs Garden Blog at WordPress.com.
%d bloggers like this: