Description
The saguaro cactus flower is strikingly beautiful. These flowers are primarily found near the tops of the stem and the ends of the arms of this majestic tree-like cactus. The blossoms average 3 inches in diameter with white petals around the perimeter and yellow stamens and stigma in the middle. They produce a strong sweet fragrance that has been likened to that of an overripe melon. Each saguaro cactus can produce up to 100 blossoms in a single season, with blooms starting to open as early as mid-April and continuing to open as late as November. Each flower blooms for less than 24 hours. Typically, they will start opening around dusk and will start to wilt by the next afternoon. For this reason, pollination is definitely time-limited. After pollination and wilting, the remaining bulbous nubs mature into an edible raw fruit that splits open when ripe and contains a bright red pulp. Boiling and straining the pulp produces a sweet syrup that can be used to make jellies and candies. Yum! Doesn’t this make you want to purchase a decal of this elegant short-lived flower now? Defy nature, by displaying these magnificent blossoms day after day.
