Organ Pipe National Monument

Last week I visited Organ Pipe National Monument for the first time.  It was amazing with organ pipe cacti and saguaros growing up the sides of the Ajo Mountains.  The organ pipe cacti is quite cold sensitive so do not grow naturally further north.  It is one of the four columnar cacti in the Sonoran Desert.   The dark rocks along the mountain ridges absorb heat int he daytime and release it at night which helps keep the cacti warm.

We saw two incredible crested organ pipe cacti and the arch in the rocks.

They only receive about 4" of rain a year and grow to about 15' and they only grow about 3" a year. They can live to be about 100.  The blossoms open early evening and are pollinated by bats.