Alamogordo Cacti and Palms

[joqua]

I thought I'd add a screen capture from a 2009 survey by Google's Street View of a venerable old palm at roadside in Tularosa. I pass it regularly but haven't recently paid attention to it's current condition. It has survived at this barren spot in spite of no apparent water source.

[Cactus Hibs]

Originally Posted by joqua

Not only is this incorrect, but I can't for the life of me recall where I've seen a living saguaro in southern New Mexico. Perhaps in Old Mesilla? Various types of palms I have seen plenty of, but severe cold spell killed off a lot of them several years ago.

You might think that the saguaro is the "state cactus" from all of the New Mexico illustrations/adverts containing depictions of the saguaro, for example:

LOL, yes. The idea of saguaros in New Mexico is definitely perpetuated and encouraged by misinformed/unscrupulous ad agencies and T-shirt manufacturers.

Does anyone else remember when the national Democratic Congressional campaign ran an ad against Heather Wilson that featured saguaro-covered hills as far as the eye could see? Oops...

[JX8P]

Originally Posted by Cactus Hibs

LOL, yes. The idea of saguaros in New Mexico is definitely perpetuated and encouraged by misinformed/unscrupulous ad agencies and T-shirt manufacturers.

Does anyone else remember when the national Democratic Congressional campaign ran an ad against Heather Wilson that featured saguaro-covered hills as far as the eye could see? Oops...

True.

Closest to NM I've seen Saguaros in their native range is around Bylas,near Safford, in SE Arizona.

I've read that there are Saguaros east of their normal range in the Peloncillo Mountains,
Which straddle the NM- AZ state line, so extreme SW NM might have a few.

I've seen some planted as landscaping in yards, Las Cruces, Pichacho Hills area.

Even one in ABQ, thought it could actually be a Cardon Cactus from Argentina,
Looks almost identical but more cold hardy, to zone 8a-7b

[elkotronics]

I can't recall seeing a single saguaro cactus in the two years we lived in southern New Mexico - but my range extends to Roswell, Carlsbad, Hobbs, Silver City, Lordsburg, Albuqueque, Santa Fe, Truth or Consequences, Ruidoso, Cloudcroft, Las Cruces, Grants, Farmington, Shiprock - you name it. Nowhere in the state have I seen them.

[Fureyous]

Thanks for the correction! I was only born there and lived there for 14 years . . .so I'm likely wrong!

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by Fureyous

Saguaro were not common but they were native.

They have never been native to New Mexico...


The saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is an arborescent (tree-like) cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea, which can grow to be over 70 feet (21 m) tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican State of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California.

REFERENCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saguaro






While the saguaro cactus has become a symbol of the American West, the saguaro cactus will only grow in the Sonoran desert. As a desert indicator species, the range of the saguaro cactus is limited to southern Arizona. Saguaro cactus will grow from sea level to about 4000 feet in elevation. The farther north and higher in elevation you go, the saguaro cactus will restrict their growth to the warmer, south facing slopes.

REFERENCE: Saguaro Cactus - Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)