Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Saguaro
The saguaro is the tall, ribbed column cactus that defines the Sonoran Desert around Phoenix. White flowers open on the tips in late spring, bats, birds and bees visit them, and red fruit follows in summer. It grows very slowly, about an inch or so a year at first, so a young plant stays a manageable size for many years. It needs full sun, fast-draining soil and very little water once rooted.
Best for: a native focal point in a desert yard, a young plant set under a palo verde or mesquite for shade, and a slow, long-term accent.
A saguaro is a natural centerpiece for a desert-style front yard. It grows slowly, so plan the spot for the long term, away from the house, walls and overhead lines.
In the wild, young saguaros grow up under a palo verde, ironwood or mesquite that shades them. Planting a young one near a light desert tree copies that and helps prevent sunburn.
Once it is old enough to bloom, bats, birds and bees visit the white flowers. Birds eat the red fruit, and older plants shelter nesting birds.
Regular watering makes a saguaro grow soft and swollen, and heavy arms can split or fall. Soggy soil rots the roots. Over many decades it can outgrow a small yard.
- From plants that need frequent waterAbout 10 ft from them
Wait a week or two after planting before the first watering. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F, letting the soil dry out in between.
Once rooted, a saguaro needs little or no extra water. At most, give a deep soak about once a month in the hot, dry months and none in winter. Extra water makes it swell and split.
A young saguaro can sunburn in full summer sun. Plant it with the marked side facing south as before, and give light shade cloth or a nearby desert tree for its first summers.
Young saguaros are the most frost tender. On frost nights, cap the tip with a foam cup or cover the plant with frost cloth to the ground, then take it off in the morning.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How fast does a saguaro grow?
A young saguaro grows very slowly, about 1 to 1.5 inches a year for its first several years. Be patient and do not push it with extra water.
When will my saguaro get arms and flowers?
Saguaros usually start flowering at about 35 years old. Arms usually appear at about 50 to 70 years old, and later in dry areas, so enjoy it as a single column for many years.
Do I need a permit to buy or plant a saguaro?
Saguaros grown from seed by people are exempt from the state permit and tag rules, and ours are seed-grown. Wild or salvaged saguaros need a state permit, tag and seal to be moved. Keep your receipt as proof of a legal purchase.
How often should I water a saguaro?
Wait a week or two after planting before the first watering. Once rooted, it needs very little, at most about once a month in summer and none during the monsoon or winter. Always err on the dry side.
Why is my saguaro swollen or splitting?
Too much water makes saguaros grow soft and swollen, and heavy stems can split or fall. Cut back the water, and make sure the soil drains fast.
Does a young saguaro need shade?
Yes. In the wild, young saguaros grow under a nurse tree. Give a young plant light shade for its first summers, and plant it facing the same direction it grew in the nursery.
How cold can a saguaro take?
Cold ratings run from about 18°F to 28°F, and young plants are the most tender. On frost nights, cover young plants with frost cloth or a foam cup over the tip, and remove it in the morning.
When does a saguaro bloom?
Mature saguaros bloom in late spring, mostly in May. The white flowers open mostly at night, and bats, birds and insects pollinate them.
Is saguaro fruit edible?
Yes. The red fruit ripens in summer and is edible, and birds eat it too. Only older saguaros flower and fruit.
How big does a saguaro get?
In the Valley, most reach about 25 feet over many decades, and very old ones reach 40 to 50 feet. A young plant stays small for years.
Does a saguaro have sharp spines?
Yes. The ribs carry long, sharp spines. Plant it well back from walks and play areas, and wear thick gloves to handle it.
Do birds nest in saguaros?
Yes. Older saguaros give shelter to birds that nest in holes in the stems.
Saguaro for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
The saguaro is the native column cactus of the Sonoran Desert and the plant most people picture when they think of Arizona. Below is what to expect from a young saguaro in a Valley yard, from growth, sun and water to cold, flowers and the state rules on moving saguaros.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How fast does a saguaro grow in Phoenix?
A young saguaro grows about 1 to 1.5 inches a year for its first several years. Flowers usually start at about 35 years old, and arms at about 50 to 70 years.
Can you legally buy a saguaro in Arizona?
Yes. Saguaros grown from seed by people are exempt from the state permit and tag rules, and ours are seed-grown. Moving a wild or salvaged saguaro takes a state permit, tag and seal, so keep your receipt.
How often do you water a saguaro?
Once rooted, it needs very little water, at most about once a month in summer and none in winter. Too much water makes the stems swell, split and sometimes fall.
Planting a young saguaro under a palo verde
In the wild, young saguaros grow under a nurse tree such as a palo verde, ironwood or mesquite. The light shade protects them from sunburn and frost while they are small.
Is a saguaro cold hardy in the Valley?
Cold ratings run from about 18°F to 28°F. Young plants are the most tender, so cover them with frost cloth or cap the tip on frost nights.
When do saguaros bloom?
Mature saguaros bloom in late spring, mostly in May. The white flowers open mostly at night, and red, edible fruit ripens in summer.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.