Saguaro Buds

Saguaros are budding out early this year. February was unusually warm. Every year that I was in Tucson during the month of February, there was a cold spell and there was snow on the ground right outside Wandrin Wagon. The accumulated snow was visible on the Catalina and the Rincon Mountains. Not this year.

When speaking to a Saguaro East volunteer, he said that a saguaro along the Shantz trail had already bloomed the last week of February.

This saguaro is at the intersection where the Cholla Trail meets the Cactus Forest Trail -- in Saguaro East NP. With its arms akimbo, it is one of the many saguaros that I have spotted that have buds. 

Note that arm hanging down in the center. The end of that arm is at the top of my head. This is a close up photo of the buds at the end of the arm.

This closeup reveals that they resemble Brussels sprouts. Sure look like it.

If they were Brussels Sprouts, I would parboil them with a little bacon grease and garlic. I could make a meal out of those.  However, I would rather see them as a saguaro blossom.

With the head high location of these buds, there will be many more hiking visits to get more photos as the saguaro buds develop into flowers.