Saguaro

The Saguaro is probably the best known of all the large cactuses. A national forest is named after it in Arizona. Saguaros have an extensive shallow root system that sucks up all moisture quickly, and can store a large amount of water in its stems to survive the dry seasons in the desert. Birds and other animals like the Gila Woodpecker drill cavities in its branches to make cool, moist nests. The Saguaro pictured here has an injured limb, probably the result of a bird's nest causing germ activity to rot the limb.