A Snapshot and The Scoop: Organ Pipe Cactus

The Sonoran Desert might just be one of the most biologically rich deserts in the world. I mean, where else can you find both Saguaro cacti and Organ Pipe Cacti in the same place, not to mention the innumerable other cacti, shrub, and grass species that thrive in this green desert. While yes, technically the Sonoran is a desert, the cacti here get absolutely huge - take the Organ Pipe cactus in the picture above as an example. While not quite as tall as a saguaro, the organ pipe cacti certainly earns its cred as a huge cactus strictly from how wide it gets. Its many arms sprout from one base, focus more on taking up space than growing up high. It's still the second tallest plant for miles, and I was giddy every time I saw a new fantastically-shaped cactus. If I could grow them where I live you bet your bottom dollar I'd have a yard full of these babies!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Cholla Garden

Imagine my delight when, while driving the park road at Joshua Tree National Park as I was heading to lower (warmer) elevations, I rounded a curve in the road and was faced with a wide swath of cholla (choy-a) cacti! Labeled a Cholla Garden on the map, I'd noticed it when I first looked over the park information upon arrival, but I hadn't paid attention to where exactly this garden was, nor did I realize I was approaching it as I fled the higher elevation snow storms. I absolutely had to stop and wander the lined nature trail through the natural garden, full to bursting with cholla after cholla packed into a relatively large area. I definitely spent more time among the cacti here than I had spent outside my car in the entire rest of the park, but I was hardly complaining. I love cacti, and I'm always thrilled to see cacti gardens wherever I go. I even have a little cacti collection at home, started way back when my family and I first traveled to the desert southwest in 2001.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Nature-Made Pincushions

Yet another desert plant I seriously want to add to my collection, the Pin Cushion Cactus just looks so cute! Sure, I wouldn't particularly want to snuggle up to its prickly-spun stem, but I can once again see myself having one or two in my home. And honestly, as far as cacti go, this little guy is hardly one that will hurt too bad if you accidentally get poked. Am I a crazy cactus lady? Probably. Do I care? Nope!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: The Ocotillo

Introducing one of my all-time favorite desert plants, the Ocotillo. This plant (oh-ko-TEE-oh) looks exactly like straight, barbed sticks poking up from the ground. At least, it does until it rains. Then leaves burst from the woody stems, only to quickly wither and drop once drought returns. The tops of the stems support brilliant red flowers in February and March, but return to dried-out, pokey looking upside-down octopuses for most of the year. People in the region still use cut ocotillo stems planted in a line as a living fence, and something about a towering fence that hurts would definitely dissuade me from coming onto somebody's property! At times like these I seriously wish I lived somewhere a little more arid than the forests of East Texas - I want so many desert plants in my life!!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Hedgehog Cactus

There is such thing as a HEDGEHOG CACTUS!!!! Y'all, I had no idea (or maybe I did but had forgotten over the years) that there were little cacti colonies called hedgehog cacti, and I might have squeaked out loud when I found them while visiting Saguaro National Park over the winter. I'm not even sorry, I was SO excited! This little plant combines a couple of my loves: hedgehogs (yes, the animal, I have a few of my own as pets) and cacti! Now, I have no idea how well these guys grow in East Texas, but I sure as hell want to find out. I'm on the hunt for some of my own now, so do your girl a favor and let me know if you ever find any for sale!
Please note, I would never go out and dig one up from it's natural habitat, especially not in a national park. I'd rather find a reputable plant farm and buy one from them.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Barrel Cactus

I will never get tired of cacti and their multitude of uses (plus they look awesome and are incredibly easy to care for). This neat plant, for example, has hooked spines that can be used as sewing needles and fish hooks! I mean for real, multi-purpose items are kind of like the holy grail of hiking and backpacking, and by extension surviving in harsh desert environments like the ancient southwestern Native Americans did. Not only is this plant useful in more than one way, it's pleat-like folds swell to soak up water during rare rain showers, making it a barrel, indeed!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Living on Cacti

Did you know there are birds out there whose whole lives revolve around cacti? Take the Gila Woodpecker, pictured above, for example. This little bird nests inside cavities in saguaro cacti, they eat the bugs that live on and near saguaros, they raise their fledglings and learn to fly off of saguaros. Can you see in the photo how this little one is perching on the top of the cacti? How freakin' neat is that!? While I was busy snapping photos of these birds in the early morning sun at Saguaro National Park near Tucson, AZ, Hoodoo was busy watching them intently with the tip of his tail flicking back and forth. Don't worry, he was on leash and I would never let him hurt a bird, but it was kind of adorable to watch. My adventure kitten being a real cat! He wouldn't have gotten too far, though, we were absolutely surrounded by cacti of all kinds. What a great defense mechanism, huh?

Saguaro

Admiring. There really is nothing quite like waking up surrounded by giant cacti. Even if the temperatures hovered around freezing, even if I slept in my car on the side of the road because I arrived too late to get a campsite and I was not about to drive any further in the dark, even if I barely slept due to a combination of chill and worry. When dawn began to light up the sky and the silhouettes of cacti arms solidified out of the frosty air, there was nowhere else I would have rather been. My visit to Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona was the result of my stubborn streak: I want pictures of saguaro cacti for the walls in my kitchen, and I would much rather take the photos myself than buy someone else's. So I made a trip out of it this winter when I was already in Arizona helping with the Grandmaster Ultras, taking off on my own for a few more days of desert bliss once the race was finished.

I had a few hours to kill between dawn and the park's visitor center opening, but I made good use of my time. I have well over a hundred photos of saguaro cacti to take my pick from for printing and hanging, and to be honest I'm not sure how I'll decide. I was able to take Hoodoo with me on the park's pet-friendly nature trail, where we explored the desert flora and watched a couple of coyotes from a distance.

I also drove the park's scenic loop, stopping at a short trail to some petroglyphs where I left Hoodoo in the car while I explored. (Don't worry, I would never do that if it were hot out! As it was winter, he was safe and comfortable in the car.) It was pretty neat to walk among the cactus forest, even if it was only for a short hike.

Saguaro is actually divided into two parts, East and West, so once the visitor center opened and I purchased my customary magnet and park patch I headed over to the other side of Tucson to visit the second unit. I stopped at the visitor center despite already having my souvenirs, thinking I might as well. Then I hit the park road loop, driving the cactus forest and day dreaming about hiking.

I spent the vast majority of my time taking pictures of cacti, which of course is the draw to the park, but the next time I visit I won't bring Hoodoo with me and plan on hitting the trails for as long as possible. I traced some amazing trails that I would love to backpack someday, really getting to know the park and everything it has to offer.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Get The Shot

Time for another confession: the whole reason I went to Tucson in February was because I want to put photos of saguaro cacti in my kitchen (subtly desert-themed), and instead of buying prints from someone I'd rather just take the pictures myself. Which is why I headed south in a roundabout way after leaving Littlefield, AZ and the Grandmaster Ultras race I volunteered at, trying my best to get to Saguaro National Park and an abundance of Saguaro cacti. I didn't begin seeing saguaros until I passed a rest area called "Sunset Point" on the interstate, after which the road dropped drastically in elevation and giant cacti started to pop out of the hills. I wanted to make it to the park that night, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to begin taking photos. You should have seen me, leaving the interstate every few exits, driving around dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, Arizona, taking pictures of cacti. Even as the sun set and I was an hour or more away from my destination, I was still on the side of some dirt road somewhere southeast of Phoenix, crouching down to get a silhouette of cacti against the sunset. I now have over a hundred photos of saguaro cacti, and yes, I got the ones I wanted for my kitchen!

Leave me a comment below and tell me about a time you did whatever it took (safely!) to get a picture you wanted. I want to hear some fun stories!