Twisting An Arm

A giant saguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) with a drooping arm found at Saguaro National Park in the Tucson Mountains west of Tucson, Arizona. The... more

by Douglas Taylor

Title

Twisting An Arm

Artist

Douglas Taylor

Medium

Photograph - Fine Art Digital Photography

Description

A giant saguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) with a drooping arm found at Saguaro National Park in the Tucson Mountains west of Tucson, Arizona. The gentle, golden light of a warm winter late afternoon in the Sonoran Desert accentuates the pleating of this huge cactus.

The normal growth habit of the saguaro is to form arms that rise vertically, yet in some populations this isn't always the rule. This particular cactus has one arm growing out perpendicular to the tall stem. The tissues of the cactus are saturated with water and the arms are very heavy. Because this one is horizontal instead of vertical, the weight is taken in tension by the woody framework of the arms rather than the normal compression forces of gravity, resulting in the arm curving down to near ground level. Saguaro grow from the tip of stem and arm, and this one clearly is seeking the vertical position once more. This deformation can make a rough life in the harsh desert even tougher for the cactus because it puts enormous strain on the supporting structure within.

Uploaded

July 26th, 2023