PlantFiles: Saguaro, Sahuara, Giant Cactus
Carnegiea gigantea

I bought some Saguaro seeds about 13 years ago. I planted them and one grew. My Saguaro is now over 2 ft. tall. I live in northern California where we have hot dry summers but cold wet winters. During the summer I put the cactus outside where it seems to enjoy the heat. In the winter I bring it inside and put it near a sunny window. It's getting to the point where it's difficult to move it. I'd like to give it to my neice who lives in Arizona but don't know how to get it there.

I live in Australia and have grown seedlings of this plant for many years. They have grown surprisingly quickly, reaching about 10 inches high. For some inexplicable and frustrating reason they have all suddenly died at around this stage. The comments below by bugeyedmonster regarding their need for light shade until mature may provide an explanation for my failings with this plant. I had always assumed they needed full sun, so I was undoubtedly cooking them. It does stand to reason that they grow down under the protection of their towering parents, and in amongst the bushes and herbage of the desert floor until they are old enough to emerge into the full sunlight.
After deciding they were impossible, I will now give them another try and this time provide them with some shade. I also live in a heavy frost area in mid-winter, so I may have to protect them, however my Espostoa and Echinocactus don't seem to mind.

I planted this 2 months ago and I can already see growth. Its doing quite well.

The native distribution of this plant is:
Quoted; "Sonoran Desert, primarily in Arizona and in southern California just west of the Colorado River, south into Sonora, Mexico, at elevations of 180-1350m (590-4430 ft)

Native Americans once depended upon this plant as an important source of food, and it is still used to some extent. The pulp is eaten raw or preserved, the sap fermented to make an intoxicating drink, the seeds ground into a type of butter.

The woody ribs were used in making shelters.

During the night the flowers are visited by nectar feeding bats and many insects.By day the flowers are visited by the White-winged dove. A major pollinator.

The fruit that grows on the top of mature plants,is the best tasting of all the cactus family[my oppinion]. The fruit can be reached with the ribs from dead ones, near by---tie a wire to the end and make a loop-than you can remove the fruit from the top of the tall ones-I learned this as a child.

I have two pots with this Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) grown from seeds. I have had the plants at least 6 years. The tallest has now reached the height of about 1 inch. I would advise that if you are growing these guys from seeds, put them in indirect sun. They don't do well in direct sun until they are older. They take about 75 years to reach full growth potential so you will have to be patient. You might think about to whom you would leave these plants in your will. In my area, we do get heavy rains and winter snows. So any outside Saguaros would definitely have to be pulled in before rains and fall/spring frosts. They do seem to love the hot summer months here in Texas, though.

I bought one last January - after replanting - mine is growing VERY SLOWLY!! It will take years before it reaches the height of some of the other plants around it. One plant I am happy to have in my desert landscaping plan.

This is the 'ultimate' cactus for any collection, though getting one full size is problematic as they are protected (as they should be) and getting seedlings is frustrating as they are SLOW, especially here in So Cal where it's not nearly as warm as in Arizona. I have a seedling in the ground for nearly 10 years now and I'm not sure it's appreciably larger than it was at planting... it's still only about 6" tall. I am sure I will have long since died by the time it becomes recognizable as a Saguro Cactus. I have recently seen much larger specimens for sale, raised in nurseries in hot areas and shipped here. May have to get one of them someday ($$!).