National Saguaro Park
Friday, October 2nd, 2009Did you know that our Arizona B&B is only 3.5 miles from the Saguaro East National Park ?
The desert contains the iconic Giant Saguaro Cactus, which so many of us associate with the American Southwest and it’s deserts. The Saguaro National Park protects these cacti, and it is lucky they do, for the Giant Saguaro only grows in a very limited region of the world.
As we talked about in earlier posts, it is the deserts ability to resurrect itself which has always made it a magical place. Even when it looks lifeless and desolate, there is activity waiting just underneath the surface, waiting for water.
Growing at Saguaro National Park in the Rincon Mountain District (which is at the East entrance near our Arizona Bed & Breakfast), there are more than 1,162 species of plants ranging from desert vegetation such as cacti, ocotillo, and creosote in the lower elevations all the way to ponderosa pine, oak, and Douglas-fir in the upper elevations of the Rincon Mountains. The Tucson Mountain District is home to 512 species of plants.
This area of Saguaro National Park varies greatly in elevation as well. Lows are 2,500 feet elevation to the tops of ridges at 8,666 feet elevation. The varied elevation within the park’s boundaries allows for a great variety of different species, found in 6 different plant communities. Saguaro National Park is thought to be home to ten species of Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive plants. Just like all of the US, non-native species of plants have made their way into the park, as many as 47 varieties. The Exotic Plant program, with help from volunteers, maps and removes non-native species from both districts of the park.
We hope you will come visit our Arizona Bed and Breakfast for a while, and explore the unique beauty and life of the Saguaro Desert.



