Growing Saguaro at Home

There are 1.6 million cacti growing in the Saguaro National Park, all with their own characteristics. Some have arms, while others are quite twisted. Individual characteristics can tell you a little about the age of the cacti. They get flowers around age 35 and arms around age 75. They reach maturity at about 150 to 200 years, but they can live longer.

Although the saguaro can survive the most ruthless conditions, it still needs water. Biannual rainfalls allow the cacti to absorb enough water for two years or more. Believe it or not, they can weigh upwards of eight to ten tons when fully hydrated.

Also, the saguaros welcome a host of desert dwellers. Gila woodpeckers and gilded flickers make holes in the cactus all year-round. As many as 20 other species of birds actually live inside the cactus, but there are also owls, roadrunners and hawks that make nests outside as well.

Finally, in the spring months, it's the saguaro flowers that steal the show. They are the state flower of Arizona and look quite beautiful on top of the cacti.

There's only a 40 million-to-one shot that a seed will germinate in the desert. Luckily, your odds are much better if you grow them from store-bought seeds in the comfort of your own home. And you can do it no matter where you live.

To get started, you need soil and it's very easy to mix your own. You'll need three parts potting soil to one part sand. Just be sure it's coarse sand and not sand from the beach because that has too much salt in it. Then you'll need a small container that has drainage holes, some small gravel and seeds.