There are lots of fun facts about the saguaro, pronounced "sah-wah-roh”. Did you know that:

• The saguaro is often referred to as the desert's tallest tree. But this multi-armed plant is not a tree at all. It is a cactus.
• While you may see a saguaro in botanical gardens beyond Mexico and the American Southwest, it is native to the Sonoran Desert only.
• It takes this slow-growing cactus about 14 years to grow three feet tall and between 60 and 75 years to sprout its first arm. Saguaros with five arms are more than 150 years old!
• The saguaro produces its first flower when it is about 50 years old. The white blossoms open only at night, last less than 24 hours and are pollinated by moths and bats.
• The saguaro's tough green skin is pleated just like an accordion. This enables the cactus to expand as its roots soak up water from a heavy rainfall and contract as its water supply depletes.
• The holes in the saguaro are made by Gila Woodpeckers and Glided Flicker who use them as nests. Other birds use the holes after their maker abandons them.
• The Hohokam and Salado Cultures, prehistoric Native American peoples, made flour, cakes and jam from the saguaro's fruit, pulp and seeds.