Saguaro Cactus Study

We've been enjoying a few books on the Saguaro cactus since we took our trip to Phoenix, AZ. The Sonoran desert is full of them!




We discovered in our reading that all kinds of animals live in holes in the Saguaro cactus. Our favorite is the Elf owl. The Elf owl is only 5 inches tall! Chloe ranks him high on the cuteness meter.

Click on this link and scroll to the bottom until you find a picture of a Saguaro cactus with a hole in the middle. If you click on the picture, you will be able to see the cutest little Elf owl sitting inside the hole!

Petrified Forest National Park

Although we were more amazed by the Painted Desert on our way home from Phoenix a couple of weeks ago, we also found beauty and wonder in Petrified Forest National Park.

Petrified wood gets its name from the Greek word "petra" which means rock. Petrified wood is literally wood that has been turned into rock.

The wood from trees has been preserved through the process of petrification.

Petrification occurs when the wood gets buried under lots of sediment and is deprived of oxygen. When water containing minerals then flows over the sediment, minerals get deposited into the plant taking the place of decaying plant cells. A stone mold then takes its place. The colors found in petrified wood come from elements, like iron and copper, that are in the water and mud during the process.

The Petrified Forest is mostly comprised of badlands, or areas of scrub brush and rock formations. The area is very hot and dry, but we thought it was beautiful as well.

Painted Desert

On our way home from Phoenix, we toured the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. As we traveled through the Petrified Forest, the landscape looked mostly brown. We drove around a bend and suddenly the landscape had changed. Now, instead of brown, we saw brilliant colors--red, orange, pink, shades of gray, and even lavender stripes.

This picture is one of my favorites because you can see the rain falling around the outskirts of the desert.

I also love these next two pictures because of the way the desert looks so vast and almost unreal.

God's creation is truly amazing!

Introducing the Saguaro Cactus

Did you know the Saguaro cactus can only be found in the Sonoran Desert?

Saguaro cacti are everywhere!

But, they were especially intriguing in the wild on the side of the highway.

The Saguaro cactus is the largest cactus in the United States. They need very little water and lots of heat to grow well. You can find them in Arizona or western Mexico.

Allison even found one on a cupcake! Check out her blog post to read more about her Saguaro cactus cupcake adventure.

Cactus Desert: One Small Square
Read this book to find out more about the Saguaro cactus!