Nature
Desert
Botanical Gardens
1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona 85008 Phone: 480-941-1225
Displays more than 20,000 plants from all over the world, exhibits and demonstrations.
It holds one of the world's foremost collections of desert plants. The collection
and its documentation are of significance world-wide in conservation, education
and research.
Saguaro
National Park
Saguaro National Park is divided into two districts. The Rincon Mountain
District (Saguaro East) is about 15 miles east of central Tucson via Old
Spanish Trail, and the Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West) is 5 miles
west of Tucson via Speedway Boulevard. Both typify the Sonoran arboreal
desert and contain stands of saguaro cactuses, known for their sometimes
human-like shapes. In addition to protecting the saguaro and other desert
vegetation of the Sonoran Desert, the park's Tucson Mountain District
has rock formations decorated with Native American petroglyphs and designs.
For information contact the Superintendent, Saguaro National Park, 3693
S. Old Spanish Tr., Tucson, AZ, 8530-5601;
Phone: 520-733-553.
Organ
Pipe Cactus National Monument
The visitor center is 17 miles south of the park entrance on scenic SR
85. The monument preserves a diverse and relatively undisturbed sample
of the Sonoran Desert. The organ pipe cactus thrives within the United
States primarily in this 516-square-mile preserve. The spectacular saguaro
cactuses, along with the paloverde, ironwood and ocotillo, also contribute
to the desert landscape. Exhibits interpret the flora, fauna and cultural
hisory of the monument. For further information contact the Superintendent,
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Rte. 1, Box 100, Ajo, AZ 85321;
Phone: 520-875-689.
The desert brings out the best in cactuses. Their brilliantly colored blossoms all but vanquish any image of the desert as a drab and barren place. A succulent cacti can live for long periods without water. Their stems act as storage chambers for the precious rainwater absorbed by their roots. The thorny spines most species have are highly modified leaves. The spines also shield the plants from wildlife. Many smooth-textured species of cacti have been wiped out by non-native cattle. Cacti are also threatened by poachers.
