Saguaro National Park protects giant cacti in which desert?

Saguaro National Park protects giant cacti in the Sonoran Desert. The park surrounds Tucson, Arizona, in two districts that preserve the desert’s distinctive plants, wildlife, and rugged mountain landscapes.

The park is named for the saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, a species native to the Sonoran Desert. Saguaros can grow for decades before producing their characteristic branching arms, and their waxy, pleated stems store water during the region’s long dry periods. Their flowers and fruit also provide food for desert animals.

Saguaro National Park was first established as a national monument in 1933. The Tucson Mountain District was added in 1961, and Congress combined the two districts into a national park in 1994. Today, the two sections lie east and west of Tucson.

The main confusion is with the Mojave, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin deserts, which also cover parts of the American Southwest. The saguaro’s natural range is much more restricted, making it a strong visual hallmark of the Sonoran Desert.