Saguaro cactus in bloom

Saguaros are one of the "type species" of the Sonoran desert. They are very tolerant of drought, and their pleated trunks expand and contract as their shallow but broad root systems pull moisture from the ground whenever it rains. However their northern range is limited by their low tolerance for freezing temperatures.

It was a special year for the Saguaro cacti around Tucson, Arizona this Spring. In all my years living in and visiting Tucson, I have never seen such an explosion of Saguaro blooms as I did this year.