[Arid_gardener] RE: Saguaro cactus

[Christine M. Bahto]

ORIGINAL QUESTION:
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:11:47 -0700
From: <stahls5124 at msn.com>
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Saguaro cactus

I have a saguaro cactus that has several lower arms near the ground.  I have
been asked if I would permit someone to remove two of the arms so he can
transplant them.  Is it possible to do this and will it harm the cactus?

Thanks for your advice,

Jerry

ANSWER:
Jerry,

It's not a question of whether or not it can be done. The question is, do
you want your healthy saguaro left with two large wounds that will leave it
vulnerable to bacteria necrosis?

It is possible to root a saguaro arm but the failure rate is higher than the
survival rate, with the cutting usually succumbing to rot. And depending on
the size of the arm, the persons helping you with their removal better be
prepared for the weight they will have to handle since a fully hydated
saguaro can weigh between 80-100 pounds a foot. If they aren't capable of
handling that weight you could run the risk of doing major damage to your
saguaro when that arm starts to fall,  causing an even larger wound that
will go right to the internal ribs, if the arm starts falling before you're
done cutting.

Now, are you ready to put your saguaro on the "chopping block" so someone
can experiment with rooting two of it's arm?

Christine Bahto
Master Gardener, Maricopa County, U of A Cooperative Extension