Arm Sprouting on Saguaro
An arm begins to sprout on a saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona. Saguaro are native to the Sonoran Desert and are known for their "arms," which take ages to grow. The saguaro can take 10 years to reach its first inch of height and another 60 years to produce its first flowers. By 95-100 years, saguaros can be 15-16 feet tall and may finally produce their first arm, though some of the cacti never generate one.