The magnificent saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), the state flower of Arizona, has been described as the monarch of the Sonoran Desert and it is the symbol of the US Desert Southwest. Saguaros are slow growing, taking up to 75 years to develop a side arm. The arms themselves are grown to store more water for the saguaro. Some specimens may live for more than 200 years; the champion saguaro grows in Maricopa County, AZ and is 13.8 m tall and has a girth of 3.1 m. In addition to being slow growing, they are slow at propagating. These two factors argue for the placement of the saguaro on the endangered species list.
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