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Saguaro Cactus (Crested)

Carnegiea gigantea

Notes:

This Saguaro was at the entrance to the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum (botanic garden)...we were told 1/100 (might have been 1/1000) have a warped, bulbous head like this (genetic mutation)...I will upload a "normal" Saguaro soon.

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20 Comments

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thank you!

ChunXingWong
ChunXingWong 11 years ago

Very unusual, looks like corals.
I think this should become a spotting of the day too

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

I just added the pic of the plaque that was in front of the Saguaro...some interesting information...I thought I added it before...

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thanks, I totally agree...I had never been to that part of AZ and the landscape is FASCINATING! Your phrase "majestic sentinels" is spot-on!! They grow so tall!!

CynthiaMHori
CynthiaMHori 11 years ago

well, they are the experts! I love that place - I used to live in Arizona. I miss seeing Saguaros. They are majestic sentinels

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thanks Carol & Cynthia...Cynthia, the "Crested" was what they called it...Goody gave me this link: http://www.crestedsaguarosociety.org/ind......
and Wow!! are there really weird saguaros out there!!

CynthiaMHori
CynthiaMHori 11 years ago

This is such a lucky find. It is not often that you see this .....there is a name for this i will need to look it up

CarolSnowMilne
CarolSnowMilne 11 years ago

Like this a lot!

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thanks for the ID S Frazier!

Scott Frazier
Scott Frazier 11 years ago

Carnegiea gigantea

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thanks Emily! I'm home now...didn't get to see much wildlife...saw a roadrunner from a distance...few birds from a distance...no javelinas unfortunately...but the plant life was incredible! See you Monday!

EmilyMarino
EmilyMarino 11 years ago

Very Cool Christy! I am jealous you are in AZ right now!!!

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thanks, Achmmad...look below at the comments - there's a link to a website with tons of pics much more elaborate than this one!! They are really funky!

achmmad
achmmad 11 years ago

eh, although I've search a lot about Saguaro Cactus, this one is really amazing!

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

Thanks!

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 11 years ago

Incredible spotting!

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

I just posted 5 more pics...uploading is a pain in the rear!!! ;-)
Thanks all!

ceherzog
ceherzog 11 years ago

Really nice!

Aaron_G
Aaron_G 11 years ago

I've seen a few of these and it's known as crested or cristated. I didn't realize there's even a crested saguaro society in Arizona! :-)

http://www.crestedsaguarosociety.org/ind...

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Amazing!

ChristyHolland
Spotted by
ChristyHolland

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Spotted on Mar 27, 2012
Submitted on Mar 28, 2012

Spotted for Mission

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