Facts to prickle your fancy

October 14
Saguaro National Park Birthday

- The park is home to the largest cactus in the US as well as diverse wildlife

- The saguaro only grows in the Sonoran Desert

- Saguaro National Park, located in Tucson, AZ became a park on October 14, 1994

- It is an International Biosphere Reserve

- There us an east side park and a west side park

- A saguaro can weigh more than 6 tons

* The prickly pear is a flowering plant~ usually producing yellow flowers in the spring

*Plant produces flavorful, edible fruit (which is the prickly pear)

~ fruit contains anti-inflammatory properties & antioxidants

~ the prickly pear fruit is also called tuna

*They can live over 20 years & grow to be 12 in tall

* The flowers change colors during bloom to attract various pollinators

*They have long spines & small spines. The small spines (glochids) reflect the sun from it's pads

* Prickly pears can survive down to 14F!

*There are endangered species of prickly pear cacti

* The pads of the cactus are called nopales, this is where the excess water is stored

* Several animals have anatomical and physiological features allowing them to eat prickly pear

cacti. This includes: prairie dogs, javelinas, iguanas, bats, coyotes, jack rabbits

* A tiny insect within the plant, called a cochineal, is used to make red dye

About Chollas

- Barbed spines that easily attach to skin, fur and clothing

- 4oz of cholla buds provides as much calcium as a glass of milk!

- Dense spines shield the stem from intense sunlight exposure

- Grows to about 9x5 feet

- Live 5 -35 years

- Jumping Cholla gets its name from appearing to jump, as it detaches and latches short distances when slightly touched

- There are approx 35 species of cholla

- They grow small flowers

- Grow to elevations of 4000 feet of the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts

- Cholla wood is a fallen, desert cactus skeleton

- When used in aquariums, cholla wood attracts shrimps