2019 Plant of the Year, Special Recognition

Proposed by: a member of Arizona Columbine Garden Club, Zone XII
Seconded by: a member of Arizona Columbine Garden Club, Zone XII

Carnegiea gigantea (Saguaro - pronounced "suh-WAHR-oh") is a stately, tall columnar cactus with large branches (arms) curving upward and a limited growing range in the arid Sonoran Desert. The saguaro is the iconic plant of the American Southwest and is indeed 'special' as a foundation species that supports many other species in the specialized ecosystem by providing food and habitat.  The 3-inch, creamy white and yellow blossom of the saguaro is the state flower of Arizona. These night-blooming flowers have a mother-of-pearl glow that is visible under the moonlight and attracts a variety of pollinators, including nectar-eating bats, birds, moths, and honeybees.  The bright red fruit is a food source for birds and has been harvested for centuries by native peoples. When the fruit falls to the ground, it is eaten by animals, especially coyotes and foxes. Birds use the saguaro for nesting and when water sources are not available, pack rats, jackrabbits, mule deer and bighorn sheep will eat the saguaro's flesh.  A saguaro requires little or no water, can live as long as 150 to 200 years, and grow to 40 to 60 feet tall. The saguaro has woody xylem, but it does not have bark. Despite the saguaro's fleshy exterior, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, deemed the Carnegiea gigantea a woody plant.