(The largest species in North America is the giant cardon cactus ... Saguaros have an intricate root system. A single “taproot” grows straight down about five feet to access water that’s stored deep ...

The combination of extreme heat and sustained drought in the Sonoran Desert is taking a toll on our iconic saguaro cactuses ... to have an extremely shallow root system so they can quickly ...

The pleated appearance of this cactus serves a very good purpose. When the saguaro grows, shallow roots spread out in a radial way under the ground, about three inches deep. A single tap root will ...

One giant saguaro lies prone, with two huge trunks jutting out from a thick set of roots running parallel to the ground. Another still stands but it’s been sheared off at the top. Two big arms ...

The giant saguaro known as the Grand One appears ... When it rained, soil was washed away near the saguaro, exposing the roots and leaving the Grand One vulnerable to toppling over.

Ecologists are optimistic a giant cactus in the Tonto National Forest, thought to be the second largest saguaro in the world ... "Some of the Grand One’s roots that are above ground do not ...