The Saguaro is the king cactus tree, and I'd wanted to see one for as long as I remember, probably since the first time I saw one in a Snoopy cartoon. The Saguaro is emblembatic of the West, with its image used on kitchen decorations everywhere. Yet, I'd never seen one in the wild.I was already in Southern California. It only took a detour of a couple of hundred miles through Arizona to find Saguaros popping up on the side of the road. Farther south, landscapes completely full of cactus trees emerged, and finally, I found Saguaros that I could get right up to.
These monsters are amazing. It's also quite fun to say "Sa-WAH-ro" over and over again in a gravelly voice. Try it. It even gets the attention of lazy cats.
Saguaro National Park near Tuscon contains not only hundreds of these great Saguaros, but also hordes of other cacti in various stages of tree-ness. It's a cactus-lovers paradise.
I've always been a fan of cacti, partially because they are the only plants I can reliably grow, but also because of their odd ways of growing new bulges or arms on a seemingly random basis. They can produce amazing flowers and fruits and quite a variety of spines with hooks, barbs or piercingly sharp points. I don't even get mad if I have to grab some tweezers after my cacti dealings. After all, it was my own fault for not keeping my hands to myself.
Other very cool cactus trees are the Teddy Bear Chollas, whose acquaintance I met (they are living creatures after all) in Joshua Tree National Park in California. They look like they could even be cuddly, so the government helpfully installed lots of signs suggesting that touching was probably not the best idea. I like to hug trees, but even I'm not about to hug a cactus tree. Cacti seem to prefer that people respect their personal space bubbles.
My favorite trees are still evergreens. I can never get enough of their smell, and their needles make a splendid trail carpet for hikes. I love the giant Douglas firs of Oregon and the red pines of drier climates. I admire the larch pine's funky needles and the massive size of the redwoods. Firs, pines and spruces are the trees I want to live with.But for vacation, I'll take cactus trees!
5 comments:
Glad the king cactus tree was to your liking, since the other "King" and the city you found him in left much to be desired.
No other comments about your adventures?
Dear Judy Judi,
I am as yet much too broken up about the recent loss of the King--the only King I'll ever recognize--the King of Pop--to blog about Him yet. So beat it.
As for my other adventures: would you like to hear about the three hours I spent in LA traffic, even though I was allowed to use the carpool lane? (Since when are two people a carpool, anyway?) Or perhaps you would rather read about the Giagantic beetle blocking the entrance to my tent that, when I tried to nudge it out of the way with a stick, had the gall to stick it's rear up into the air to make me wonder what kind of foul, poisonous miasma it was planning to shoot at me? I also saw Darth Vader.
Did Darth Vader bring back frightening images that you were subjected to as a child? Will you hang a picture of him in your closet? Will you make sure the door is closed before you retire for the evening?
The beetle sounds interesting. No encounters with scorpions or snakes? How disappointing not to see (not get bitten by) any. Or were the really creepy creatures you encountered city dwellers?
It appears that Judy Judi is practicing unlicensed psychotherapy. And doing so in a manner that can only be described as taunting. I have reported Judy Judi to the blogging authorities pursuant to section 31, paragraph 4, subsection A regarding the practice of internet-based medicine and counseling services.
Dr. Slojak-Pittman
Consultant
Internet Medicine
What wonderful specimins of cactus trees. When I see pictures of them, I say to myself, "THIS is why I became a tree surgeon."
Regards,
Dr. Slojak-Pittman
Tree Surgeon
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