Local plant experts don’t know what is causing some Saguaros to snap like a twig after some cactuses lost arms or fell apart all together in recent years.
The saguaro — a cactus that is a staple of the Sonoran Desert — can grow to more than 40 feet tall and are said to live upwards of 100 years. The Phoenix and Tucson landscape is dotted with the cactuses known for their resiliency in intense summer temperatures. Saguaros, native to Arizona, help themselves survive by storing large amounts of water in the plant during rainy seasons to deal with the especially harsh summer seasons.
But experts have noticed Saguaros rotting or falling apart in hot and dry conditions in the Phoenix area the past few summers, said Michael Chamberland, horticulture agent with the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension at the University of Arizona.
