Stressed out saguaros: What is causing massive cacti to fall over?

We've seen a spate of falling saguaros all over the Phoenix area lately. Have they succumbed to the extended period of extreme heat we've seen this summer? Maybe. But a plant physiologist from the Desert Botanical Garden says something else could be going on.

[@demonhalo67]

Seeing this as a cactus lover wrenches my heart. These plants are probably older than the homes and people that live beside them.

[@misskelly9184]

Aww that’s so sad. I love cactus

[@mathiastvproduction5305]

me to

[@luiscarlosfelix4988]

X3

[@traviswebb3532]

I learned a bunch about cactus in this video, thanks.

[@TS50ER]

Cacti have very shallow roots that spread out for a big distance. All the surrounding concrete in those neighbourhoods isn't helping matters, having said that they seemed to be snapping near the base not uprooting.

[@tedwalker1370]

I have 4 saguaros on my property. Two of them have lost 2 arms this summer. Did not water them because I thought they have been here a long time because they are 30 ft. tall. They live in the dessert they have been through this before. I guess not. Two of them have holes around the bottom. They may fall over. I am afraid to go near them. My neighbor had one fall over this year and one last year. Also noticed termites on two of them two years ago. Strange.

[@leob4403]

They havent been through climate change

[@risenfromyoutubesashesagai6302]

​@@leob4403you either

[@ramsesrivera1399]

They need water . I have one on my property it’s blooming flowers started in May . We water 3-4 times a week saguaro cactus. 🌵

[@history_is_history]

They said water can overwhelm them, too, though. Over-watering can easily kill them, so be careful.

[@Ryan-ux8yq]

Half of these haven't been watered by the homeowners in forever. The largest was overwatered

[@General_Shenanigans]

Humans really need to stop asking what went wrong and instead ask what they did wrong lmao.

[@leob4403]

To take responsibility is not in fashion these days, better to blame others and pass the blame around, thats what our leaders teach us

[@goodboi4939]

Man this is sad, it strikes home when I think about a Sugar Maple that was in my folks’ yard, that tree was pretty old. Still not sure what caused its death but I do know we put a sunburst honey locust there and it lasted for a few years before it died, I even found a larvae crawling around in one of its roots so it was probably carpenter ants or termites. We now have a volunteer Eastern Redbud planted there, we mix an insecticide with collected rainwater to water it once every couple years or so. 🙏👍

[@GwarFluffyGoreGuts]

Well they only live a few hundred years. Some only growing 1.5 inches in 10 years..people need to protect there very long shallow roots. They grow as wide as they are tall.

[@captainjackpugh6050]

They grow a lot more than 1.5 inches every 10 years. Don’t spread false information

[@GwarFluffyGoreGuts]

@@captainjackpugh6050 the word some gives me a pass on false. Yes in the most perfect conditions a few can grow more than 1.5 inches. You are correct👍

[@iHopeyoure0ffended]

it was your responsibility as a father to put that cactus back together for your son and you failed.

[@xiqikxx8967]

Wow…5years ago we had ((what we were told by the city)) a 93year old massive saguaro cactus and a car got rammed by a truck and the car accidentally hit our saguaro knocking it down…daamm we felt like we lost something valuable to us

[@Langwene69]

Arizona people abs cactus is werid

[@risenfromyoutubesashesagai6302]

Cut them into foot long pieces, let them callous over, and plant them back into the ground.

[@flowergirlabc123]

Not from there but always wanted to see cacti. They are mesmerizing. Igloos (not anymore) So cold here so those would be as fascinating for me as seeing snow sculptures and icebergs for you. One day.

[@AllAmericanDreamChaser]

So hot even the cactus can't handle it!🏜️

[@cacatr4495]

It's cumulative damage (rot) from past freezes. Succulents, which is what cactus are, cannot handle freezing temperatures or over-watering/too much rain. The combination of the two is worse. Damage from rotting results.

[@AllAmericanDreamChaser]

@@cacatr4495 very interesting!👍

[@cacatr4495]

@@AllAmericanDreamChaser This summer of 2020, there was no monsoon, but in recent years, we've gotten a lot of rain, not just during monsoon (summer rainy season), but an uncharacteristic amount of rain during the winter and spring, AND a lot of freezing temperatures (disrupted weather patterns). Freezing does a great deal of damage to Saguaros, causing their arms to weaken and turn downward, causing them to take on a blond-to-brownish hue, and has been the primary reason why Saguaros have died prematurely. Historically, it used to rain every day through the week leading up to Christmas, a light, gentle, quiet rain, then in March, leading into Springtime about 10 consecutive days of moderate strength rain, still quiet (no thunder, no lightening, no wind). Then monsoon rains would be lengthy, heavy downpours every day for 6-7 weeks. In between these 3 periods of rain, the soil would dry out and there'd be only sunshine and clear blue skies over the valleys, with the high mountain-tops getting more rain and snow too. But cactus, in the foothills and valleys, would only get rain in those 3 periods every year, and no freezing. If you're interested in Arizona, I have 2 superb playlists on my YT channel that show much scenery. If you want to learn more about Arizona and these playlists, be sure to read the playlist descriptions that accompany them. I'm a lifelong Arizonan of many decades.

[@AllAmericanDreamChaser]

@@cacatr4495 I will check out your channel. I always ask people that were born in Arizona if they remember The Wallace & Ladmo show. I grew up in Arizona. Thank you

[@AllAmericanDreamChaser]

@@cacatr4495 Thank you

[@Qwistie_]

It looks like a bunch of Arizonans didnt know they needed to occasionally water their plants on top of other things to upkeep saguros... i swear maybes its because i live in the midwest with harsh winters and plants that require care in my climate lol, harsh lessons are the only teachers. It looks like they could be overwatered and under heat stress.

[@deniseview4253]

This is so sad. 😢

[@railfanninginohiowithjessi9844]

seeing this all the way from Ohio

[@Stefan_Eccles]

🔥🔥🔥🌵🌵🌵

[@jesurunsounds]

a fallen warrior very sad

[@MsOlmec]

Lake of Respect of the Humans. As well lake of water.

[@pkmblcknwht]

From a car? To a mailbox? Come on

[@questcore636]

no water duh, even cacti needs water eventually

[@stevelau7694]

They definitely grow in Hawaii and the west coast

[@nawfr1803]

Link me to a picture of a saguaro in hawaii 😐😂

[@dundeeecroc]

@@nawfr1803 Steve meant cacti.

[@melemetcalf1681]

Living in Hawaii for years, I highly doubt that. I've never seen one anywhere but Arizona. But, ya I mean post a link to a picture of them growing there.

[@m_camper]

I think it's all because of 2020

[@luiscarlosfelix4988]

Simon we

[@scottprather5645]

😢

[@euphoriaq7026]

So sad

[@spheresack8376]

☹☹☹

[@zhenyalandyak8258]

He's wearing a mask outside.......

[@MichaelHargrove-ms3uu]

March2024

[@disiamtheillusion]

Whatever it is keep up the good work.arizona is the kneepit of america

[@RVBadlands2015]

No Calif is.

[@disiamtheillusion]

@@RVBadlands2015 california is the taint.

[@salvadorsantana6664]

You’re not buff lol

[@cjlarson4553]

If you own a saguaro You need to deep water in the summer!!!!

[@foxmulder7616]

Its not the heat is the cumulative effect of chemtrails and the drought caused by chemtrail spraying combined with pesticides like roundup etc.

[@BunnyH-pq5jt]

“Chemtrails” is just water vapor.

[@turquoisemountain7]

@@BunnyH-pq5jt wake up your next to drop dum dum😷

[@foxmulder7616]

@@BunnyH-pq5jt LOL water vapor! Good one 😂😆🤣

[@DRDOOM-jl7tv]

Wearing a MASK 😷 outside while on TV…🤦‍♂️ So thankful that NONSENSE is OVER. Also, great info on the Cactus 🌵