Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

A Tour of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Welcome aboard for a tour of this beautiful park, located south of the town of Ajo, (Ajo  means garlic to the Tohono O'odham natives), and the town of Wye, situated along the Mexican/Arizona borders. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a showcase for the Sonoran desert plant and animal life.  All who live here must endure extreme temperatures with intense sun and very little rainfall, although Organ Pipe is known as the wettest desert in the US. Twenty-eight species of cacti live here including the Saguaro and the Organ Pipe.

The Sonoran Landscape

The Organ Pipe is rarely found in the US, but prevalent in Mexico.  It likes the heat and light and therefore is more often found on southern slopes where it is warmer, especially in colder months when it could freeze. The brittle bush (yellow) was in full bloom along with a few cacti and other annuals, giving the desert floor bountiful colour.  The Park Ranger maintained that the desert flowers were at their peak, one month ahead of the usual, due to November rains.

The Organ Pipe

Standing very tall and erect, the Organ Pipe blooms in the heat of May, June and July opening lavender white flowers ( loved by the Long-nosed bat) after sunset, to conserve its moisture. 

Pin Cushion Cactus

Desert Mistletoe

A visit to the Kris Eggle Visitor Centre gave opportunity for a   brief guided walkabout with the park ranger who explained a great deal of information about plant and animal life found within the
park.

The  misty pink Pin Cushion cactus flowers only last a very few days.                                      

Desert Mistletoe is a parasitic plant found on the Palo Verde; from a distance, the mistletoe appears to be a reddish colour, but really it is a rusty brown.

Pupfish below, an endangered species of fish, are native to the area and this pool was alive with them; they are under a scientific study at the visitor centre.

Pupfish

 The photo is a little blurry, but these little guys darted about very quickly, thus distorting the image.  All pupfish are especially noted for being found in extreme and isolated situations, such as here,  Death Valley and the White Sands area of New Mexico. Tiny pupfish thrive in desert waters where other fish literally would be found dead. They endure waters of high salinity - three times saltier than sea water - and can survive temperatures ranging from near freezing to scorching hot.

Organ Pipe and Saguaro abound

                                                                      This 21 mile gravel road winds along  the foothills of the Ajo Mountain Range and takes 2 1/2 hours to complete.  Stands of organ pipe (forefront) and saguaro which tower above all other plants are easily identified.  The Saguaro is said to bloom at 65 years of age and only if the conditions are right and it might begin to grow its "arms" at age 90.  The Tohono O'odham use the woody ribs for tools and the fruit from its summer flowers for jams and syrup, if  the pollinators, the birds and bats, don't get them first.

A "Crested" Organ Pipe

Looking closer into the centre of this Organ Pipe, is a weird and abnormal looking growth, called a "crest".  A typical organ pipe has growth cells on the tips of its arms.  These cells grow in a circle to form a columnar cactus.  A crest occurs when the cells form a straight line rather than a circle, creating a hand-like looking "crest". This is an unexplained phenomenon that scientists have attempted to document as genetics, deformation due to frost or an imbalance of hormones.  The scientific jury is "still out".

(stay tuned; there is more to come)