Sonoran Preserve

Yesterday, we went out to Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve hoping that we might get to see desert flowers beginning to bloom. We were probably a month early, though we did see a few flowers. Nevertheless, the desert is very beautiful, and we got some nice walking time on the many trails in the preserve.

I know I've said it in other postings, but one simply cannot avoid being struck by the magnificence of the saguaro cactus plants. They were everywhere in the preserve, and if you read the sign I photographed, you will note that they can be very old. The one here might well be 150 years old or so (just a guess--they can be up to 200 years old, and at 10 years they are barely bigger than your thumb).

Here is the inside of one that failed to survive. They have a woody interior to help hold their mass. The sign said they weigh 80 pounds per foot.

Yucca plants were blooming, and we saw a number of other interesting trees, shrubs, and landscapes.  Were I here long enough, I'd definitely be looking for a guide of some kind to help me learn more about the different plants. Hope you enjoy a taste of the desert via the photos below.