The Saguaro in Bloom (Saguaro National Park, AZ)

Well, as I said earlier, last Sunday I managed to make it to Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, and finally snap some photos of the saguaro in bloom.  Years ago, when I first moved to Arizona, I had no idea that the saguaro cactus bloomed, and when I first saw it the flowers seemed unreal to me, like oversized artificial flowers someone would purchase as a home accent.  Since then, I vowed to get a few good photos of them.  These photos are as good as I got last Sunday.

Even though this is only a partial profile, this photo, above, is my favorite, as I managed to capture significant detail of the saguaro's immaculate white blossoms.

This bird took me by surprise.  Snapping the photo above, I was unaware that it was flapping its way to this saguaro cactus, not until...

I found it chirping its song at the summit, and I couldn't resist photographing its serenade.

Saguaro Skeleton

Saguaro National Park, AZ

I am a little surprised that I never shared this photo before. I took it last April when I visited Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona. That figure with the sprayed shreds is actually a saguaro skeleton. The skeleton of a saguaro never ceases to amaze me. We love the saguaro when it is alive. We love the beauty of its verdant coloring, its shape that is plump with moisture stored over time. What is left when the saguaro dies are these desiccated remains. I love taking photos of dead trees and cactus in the desert, especially when they are left standing in the midst of present desert life. It makes for a dramatic juxtaposition. Hauntingly beautiful.

More Photos from Saguaro National Park

Here are some other photos I took last April at Saguaro National Park near Tucson, AZ. Enjoy!

Cholla

There are many different types of cholla. This one is indigenous to Arizona. The one native to northern New Mexico is not as fuzzy-looking and bears beautiful magenta blooms.

Ocotillo in a field of saguaro

Hands down, the ocotillo is my all-time favorite desert plant. What looks like a confused array of dead bramble is actually very much alive and thriving under the desert sun.

A gathering of saguaro

Nothing is more of a symbol of the American West than the saguaro. Fans of the spaghetti western movie readily recognize the saguaro and identify it with Arizona.

Saguaro multitude

Banded together, the saguaro look like a gathering, like sentinels on guard.

Saguaro with desert and town in the distance

What's more beautiful, the foreground or the background? For me, it's simply a tie.

The Beauty of an Ocotillo Blooming

Saguaro National Park West, approximately 15 miles from Tucson, Arizona, is a stunning patch of desert that you could encounter almost completely by accident, if you didn't already know that it was there. The road leading to the Park is a small, desert road that bears no indication of possessing a specific destination. Gradually, the saguaro thicken to a multitude, you see the welcome sign, and the next thing you know you have crossed over into sheer beauty.

These are photographs I took in April 2012, when I made a trip to the Park. I had been long wanting to take photos of this Park, especially in the spring, when the ocotillo blooms.

A Blooming Ocotillo, Saguaro National Park, AZ

Ocotillo in Bloom, with Desert and Mountains in Distance, Saguaro National Park, AZ

The ocotillo is an amazing plant. A native of the Sonoran Desert, and often overshadowed by the saguaro cactus, the ocotillo's appearance highlights the very character of the desert. What appears to be nothing but a collection of dead, upright branches, the ocotillo will bud small petals of leaves up and along its limbs. But the ocotillo will bloom its bright orange plumes even when its branches are bare, setting off a sharp contrast between the flamboyantly alive and the seemingly dead, much like how the desert itself seems dead and barren until you take a closer, more attentive look. Sometimes we just need the patience to look more closely at things, to give them our slow, steady attention, so that we can gain a better appreciation of them. What might seem barren might actually be teeming with life (and potential!)

Check it out: Saguaro National Park