Cactus - Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) Cacti Sonora Saguaro Cactus Tree

Cactus - Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) Cacti Sonora Saguaro Cactus Tree

Perennial

Height 12 M

Saguaro, is a well known perennial tree like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea that can grow to be over 12 meters tall, and grows in arid desert climates; it is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. Native Americans ate the fruit from the saguaro, and made fences and shelters out of the cactus body. Prairie owls and other birds make nests in this species.

Saguaro cacti needs to grow in well-drained grit and receive low levels of water, with the soil drying out completely between irrigation. Annually fertilizing with cactus food in spring will help the plant complete its growth cycle. This is a fun and perfect xeriscaping project that you must bring inside to overwinter in Canada. 

These slow-growing, columnar cacti also make great indoor houseplants. 

NOTE: When outdoors, and during the late spring in the Sonoran Desert, the white cacti flowers' form and scent attract many pollinators for just one evening; it attracts Lesser Long-nosed Bats and Mexican Long-tongued Bats for pollination. In Canada, some cacti are known to attract pollinators such as bees, and other insects to the food supplies that the flower offers.

• Keep seeds away from direct sunlight, as that can be too hot.
• Indirect sunlight is perfect.
• Saguaro, like other cacti, need extremely loose, loamy and coarse soil that is free of organic fertilizers like manure. Recommended: sow seeds in pots with coarse Cactus mix and keep warm and humid until germination. OR Combine 1 part each of sand, peat moss, turf soil and garden loam. Fill the pot 3/4 full of soil.
• Poke several small holes in the soil 1 in (2.54 cm) apart using a pencil.
• Make the holes about 1/8 in (0.4 cm) deep.
• Place the saguaro seeds in the holes and lightly pinch the soil closed over them.
• Place plastic wrap securely over the pot. Poke holes in the plastic wrap to aerate the soil.
• Place the pot at room temperature or warmer in a location that is well lit, but not in direct sunlight.
• Keep the seeds moist. Sprinkle water over the soil every 10 days so the seeds don't dry out. Even when growing from seed, cacti do not like too much water, so do not water more than every 10 days.
• You should see sprouts in 3 to 5 weeks, but they make take longer. Remove the plastic wrap. Typically after 5 to 6 weeks, you will be able to remove the plastic wrap.
• Keep the saguaro seedlings moist by watering once a month.
• Prop up the seedlings with bits of pumice. Allow to grow closely in the same pots for a year and then transplant them to their own larger pots.
• Bring plants/pots inside to overwinter.
• The fruits produced by cacti after the flowers have been fertilized vary considerably. Many are fleshy, although some are dry. All contain a large number of seeds.
  
• Seed Count: 5