This is a 75 year old saguaro that was scheduled to be uprooted and destroyed to make way for a new home near 4th Street and Bethany Home Road. After hearing of the cactus’ plight on valley newscasts, a local landscaping company and a West Valley school came up with a plan to save it. This past Monday, Roadrunner Cactus transplanted the giant saguaro on the new campus of Montessori in the Park at Dysart and McDowell Roads.
Officials said it was important to save the huge cactus and the fact that it ended up at a school will help students learn about the saguaro and the importance of protecting Arizona’s treasures. The saguaro has long been a symbol of the state and the saguaro blossom is the Arizona State Flower.
17 comments:
Thanks for teaching me a bit more about this iconic cactus. I always wondered what it was, how it grew. Great that it's transplantable.
Why do we have to build new homes all the time, colonising more and more space? I'm glad it was saved but it shouldn't have had to be in the first place... Sorry, I'm just having my Sunday rant.
it is cool that it ended up at a school...as long as no one tries to climb it...smiles. happy sunday!
I'll bet it was quite a sight seeing this big guy move down the streets and freeways on the back of a flatbed truck! Those people who transplanted it must have had very thick gloves. Our city grew by approximately 469 people PER DAY between 2000 and 2008 and like most cities we just keep having to find places for people to make homes. The Phoenix metro area was home to 581,000 people in 1970; by 2008, an estimated 4.1 million lived in our valley.
What a great story with a happy ending! So glad the beauty was spared.
Wonderful! Great post.
Glad they saved this old man!
I'm glad this guy had a happy ending. It makes me so mad at how irresponsible most people are with our desert plants. This is the only place on Earth that this variety of cactus grows. As our population continues to increase here in Arizona...and Sonora...this cactus will be losing desert space. On top of that, there are people stealing these guys from the Sonoran desert for profit. It makes me sad, but I am glad this guy will be given a chance to live.
Ah, this is just so awesome! It's so important to give back to nature. I think people are getting more and more conscious of the importance, I just hope it's not too late.
Great story. I've only seen a saguaro from the window of a train on my way to Morelia. We went to Grand Canyon this spring but did't get far enough to see any "real" cactus.
That was the best solution there could be. It takes these gentle giants a long time to get this big and it seems like the deserve the rest of their life in the desert. Nice looking blog and photography.
I wish this cactus a long life and plenty of adventures at the Montessori school.
Just what they needed in the middle of the city, another house. So glad people stepped up to save this beautiful cactus.
I hope the cactus makes it in it's new home - their chances aren't very good with replanting. I thought it was against the law to destroy them at all? Sorry, I'm tired of the new building too, especially when so many buildings are sitting empty.
It's nice to see a happy ending!
I sure hope this big guy survives. And I am glad too that someone came to his plight.
Why are we so busy paving over our great country.
we have bumper stickers here that say:
Save our farmland
Pavement is forever.
MB
I love the saguaros --- glad it has a new home.
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