Saguaro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Saguaro - Essay ExampleThey may even be familiar with a more detailed view that would include the fluted way in which this column rises from the ground, the thick, waxy texture of its skin or the sharp, fingernail-like points of its spines. What they may not realize is the extreme nature of the world in which this particular plant lives and how uniquely suited it is for just this type of world. The saguaro has many unique characteristics that make it a perfect double for survival in the harsh landscape of the Arizona desert.Getting as large as deuce feet in diameter and 30 feet tall, it is perhaps surprising to a media-educated audience to discover that the saguaro lone(prenominal) grows on desert slopes and flats in primarily Arizona and that it actually seems to prefer a rocky environment. harmonize to DesertUSA (Saguaro Cactus, 1996), the cactus is supported by a tap root that is only a pad or so 3 feet long, as well as numerous stout root no deeper than a foot, emanating rad ially from its base. More smaller roots run radially to a distance equal to the height of the saguaro. These roots wrap about rocks providing adequate anchorage from winds across the rocky bajadas. These shallow roots enable the cactus to bury scant rainwater from a larger area before it has had a chance to evaporate or sink beyond reach a mature plant may soak up as much as 200 gallons of water during a storm (Epple, 1995). The fluted nature of the columns is also developed to abet collect more water as these sections expand to allow the plant to absorb water during the arch season and shrink like an accordion to reduce moisture loss and provide some cool down in dry times. The cactus also grows very slowly, living for as long as 200 years. This, match with the supporting structure of the plant itself provides biologists with a chance to study climate change. This also allows the plant to bloom each year. The flowers are about three inches wide and have creamy white petals t hat surround a