Gate's Pass Saguaros

[Silas_Sancona]

While running between two nurseries picking up a few things again / checking on how things are looking for spring plant sales/ after the recent quick freeze, took an hour or so to visit one - of many - iconic Tucson locales and hang out with the most iconic of sonoran desert plants.  Hadn't been out this way since 2017, though i had it penciled in to visit last summer.  Just never made it up here, despite being in the area several times.  Looking around, kind of kicking myself for not seeing the area at it's best.. at the height of a very wet summer. No worries.. rains are good again this year,  i'll be back.

Gate's pass itself separates the  " west of I-10 side  " of  Tucson from the sparsely developed Avra Valley to the west, winding it's way up and over a lower break in the Tucson Mountains. While the east facing slopes are developed, and one of the more view friendly parts of Tucson,  West facing side is part of the mountains is part of Tucson Mountains Park. Further north, once you reach the base of the pass on the west side, you're essentially within the bounds of Saguaro National Park West, and right next to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum,  and  Old Tucson Studios where numerous movies and T.V. shows have been filmed, and where western- esque re-enactments take place..

At the top of the pass is a scenic overlook and some trails that wander deeper into the Tucson Mountains. There are also some small stone buildings to see here as well.. Unfortunately, modern abuse in the form of graffiti has found it's way up here both on the stone buildings, and some rock faces.. Not sure why anyone thinks it is cool to spray paint rocks.. You have to be pretty ---------< insert your own thoughts >  stupid to deface things like this if you ask me..  Anyway.. a nice quick hike on a very warm early February day..  I'd hoped to hit up one of the major Gem and Mineral Show events today also, but time and $ are short..   Next year..

Plenty of great views on the  way up, and once parked and walking around..








Bushman's Peak




Views of Avra Valley.. and some nearby peaks.

















Saguaro, and friends..





Saguaro filled views looking east toward Tucson..













A view for two..




Some other spiny friends..











Headed back to town..  Mountains in view in the last two pictures are the Catalinas.. Could not see a speck of snow atop them.  Did see a patch of the white stuff atop Mica Mountain or Rincon Peak ( in the Rincons, on the southeast side of the city ) Maybe they'll both get a little more before the curtain falls on winter 2021-22 next week.











 

[Darold Petty]

Thanks for posting,  cute little Mammillaria !

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Darold Petty said:

Thanks for posting,  cute little Mammillaria !

Thanks Darold..

That species, Mammillaria grahamii,  ( and a couple other sp. in ..what you could call a complex < and may be getting lumped together >..  since they are next to impossible to tell apart from Mam. graham, except that their ranges don't overlap extensively )  is also one of the nicest flowering in the Genus.

From last summer:

Wide opened,  " flared " - flowered specimen:



Narrower - petaled, more funnel- shaped flowered specimen:

[Palmensammler]

Amazing pictures.  Love to see all these saguaro and barrel cacti. Cylindropuntia bigelovi is next on my shopping list.

Would love to hike some of these trails.

Eckhard 

[gurugu]

Thanks for the ride. It´s like being there for a while.

I like deserts and cacti more and more, maybe I am a little bit tired of so many clouds and rain, although this winter is being just fine for us here. Record of sunshine hours for January!

Those battalions of Saguaros are just spectacular!

This is my bunch of four.

Is that tree an Euphorbia?

I like cacti flowers as much as Gazanias.

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, gurugu said:

Thanks for the ride. It´s like being there for a while.

I like deserts and cacti more and more, maybe I am a little bit tired of so many clouds and rain, although this winter is being just fine for us here. Record of sunshine hours for January!

Those battalions of Saguaros are just spectacular!

This is my bunch of four.

Is that tree an Euphorbia?

I like cacti flowers as much as Gazanias.

Stunted tree in the pictures is a species of Palo Verde.. a wide spread Genus of trees here.. They often serve as " Nurse " plants for young Saguaro and help protect them both from the sun / heat, and cold in winter until the Saguaro are old enough to withstand both cold/ full hot sun on their own. Popular in landscapes since they produce clouds of yellow flowers in mid spring and have interesting, smooth green bark ( which can photosynthesize w/ out any leaves )

Gazania are neat flowers for sure.. VERY popular in landscapes in California.. Fry in our summer heat..

[gurugu]

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Stunted tree in the pictures is a species of Palo Verde.. a wide spread Genus of trees here.. They often serve as " Nurse " plants for young Saguaro and help protect them both from the sun / heat, and cold in winter until the Saguaro are old enough to withstand both cold/ full hot sun on their own. Popular in landscapes since they produce clouds of yellow flowers in mid spring and have interesting, smooth green bark ( which can photosynthesize w/ out any leaves )

Gazania are neat flowers for sure.. VERY popular in landscapes in California.. Fry in our summer heat..

Palo verde, do you mean Parkinsonia aculeata? I have had one in a garden for 25 years now and, despite being in sandy soil, the table water overflows the surface every winter. So it has been standing in 10/15 cm of water for quite a long, sometimes. It´s alive and kicking and even blossoms every summer. No seeds.

[spike]

I was thinking parkinsonia florida. Great tree regardless. And nice ocotillo (i think) as well. 

[Silas_Sancona]

50 minutes ago, gurugu said:

Palo verde, do you mean Parkinsonia aculeata? I have had one in a garden for 25 years now and, despite being in sandy soil, the table water overflows the surface every winter. So it has been standing in 10/15 cm of water for quite a long, sometimes. It´s alive and kicking and even blossoms every summer. No seeds.

There's actually several sp. in the Genus.. aculeata is the one many love to hate, mainly due to thorns and invasive tendencies it can have in some areas. 

The others: Blue, **Cercidium / Parkinsonia florida,  Foothill / Little Leaf,   **Cercidium / Parkinsonia microphylla,  and Palo Brea, **Cercidium / Parkinsonia praecox  are the most common here, w/ the first 3 native to the state / more northerly half of the Sonoran Desert region..   There are also several crosses you'll see offered by nurseries here..   X " Desert Museum " being the most popular.

Great trees, except they have a habit of loosing branches / whole trees blow over during summer storms/  stronger winter- spring wind events.  This is mainly due to applying too much water / fertilizing < Absolutely need no extra food >, and horrible pruning practices ( Look up " Lion Tailing  " ..Is a term used by some here to describe how these trees are trimmed ( ..ahem, butchered..  ) by tree people who actually know nothing about properly trimming trees )

Fyi: ** = The genus has wavered back and forth between the two names.. Some know ( and sell.. ) the trees by Cercidium, others Parkinsonia.

[Silas_Sancona]

28 minutes ago, spike said:

I was thinking parkinsonia florida. Great tree regardless. And nice ocotillo (i think) as well. 

Close, but most of the P.V.'s you'll see on really rocky ground in the " hill country " here are P. microphylla.. Blues typically stay in the lower country.. say more at the base of the foothills, and along stream courses. Still will find a few scattered among the Foothill / Little leaf in places though

..And yes, lol.. those are Ocotillo  ( ..Or,  `Errk - Ah' - Tilla'  ...as someone i knew referred to them, < don't ask me why, haha > )

[Silas_Sancona]

12 hours ago, gurugu said:

Palo verde, do you mean Parkinsonia aculeata? I have had one in a garden for 25 years now and, despite being in sandy soil, the table water overflows the surface every winter. So it has been standing in 10/15 cm of water for quite a long, sometimes. It´s alive and kicking and even blossoms every summer. No seeds.

 

10 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

There's actually several sp. in the Genus.. aculeata is the one many love to hate, mainly due to thorns and invasive tendencies it can have in some areas. 

The others: Blue, **Cercidium / Parkinsonia florida,  Foothill / Little Leaf,   **Cercidium / Parkinsonia microphylla,  and Palo Brea, **Cercidium / Parkinsonia praecox  are the most common here, w/ the first 3 native to the state / more northerly half of the Sonoran Desert region..   There are also several crosses you'll see offered by nurseries here..   X " Desert Museum " being the most popular.

Great trees, except they have a habit of loosing branches / whole trees blow over during summer storms/  stronger winter- spring wind events.  This is mainly due to applying too much water / fertilizing < Absolutely need no extra food >, and horrible pruning practices ( Look up " Lion Tailing  " ..Is a term used by some here to describe how these trees are trimmed ( ..ahem, butchered..  ) by tree people who actually know nothing about properly trimming trees )

Fyi: ** = The genus has wavered back and forth between the two names.. Some know ( and sell.. ) the trees by Cercidium, others Parkinsonia.

@gurugu,

Here are some flower pictures of the other Palo Verde sp:

Palo Brea, Parkinsonia / Cerdidium praecox :





Little leaf / Foothill: 






X " Desert Museum " ..a 3 - way Palo Verde cross.



Random pictures..

11 hours ago, spike said:

I was thinking parkinsonia florida. Great tree regardless. And nice ocotillo (i think) as well. 

You ever find yourself out here, esp. during " Palo Verde season ", this area, on a pretty lonely highway ..roughly 15 miles east of Florence / Cactus Forest, AZ. is a GREAT spot to see a seemingly endless, un-interrupted sea of Foothill Palo Verde ( and likely some Blue P. V.'s mixed in..  ..and a ton of Saguaro and Ocotillo..  ) Did several trips ( and related threads here )  out there in 2020, and a couple last year.  Back there in a few weeks.  Could get much further into the area if i had a truck w 4 wheel drive.








Blue Palo Verde along the highway  out there ( on the way back that day in this shot )



Pictures are from May 12th, 2020.

[gurugu]

Spectacular! The desert in early spring or sooner, must be just breathtaking!

Those Palo Verdes do look like Tabebuias ochracea in the distance. They are beautiful. Thanks.

I just can´t understand what I mentioned, they, coming from the desert, and  being in standing water for a time and not getting rot. Other trees do.

[Silas_Sancona]

5 hours ago, gurugu said:

Spectacular! The desert in early spring or sooner, must be just breathtaking!

Those Palo Verdes do look like Tabebuias ochracea in the distance. They are beautiful. Thanks.

I just can´t understand what I mentioned, they, coming from the desert, and  being in standing water for a time and not getting rot. Other trees do.

They are pretty, if not somewhat messy to some people. That said, the desert wouldn't be as spectacular in the spring without " Palo Verde Season " , ..Which is then followed by " Ironwood Season " in May.. When our Desert Ironwood, Olneya tesota, take the stage and flower all over.

Think P. aculeata comes from areas that see more rain, let alone can handle growing in wetter places ..ie: where there is permanent water nearby  without much trouble.

Here, during a wet summer, you'll see Blue Palo Verde out in the Desert, ..or those in some landscape situations.. where they'll be growing in a low spot where runoff might collect for as long as a several weeks ..and the trees are usually fine.  Think it would be a different story if they were submerged all year /  for several months though..

[SailorBold]

Beautiful...thanks for sharing.. I enjoy reading your posts!  so is this a higher rainfall area?  I thought I read that saguaro need an anomalous rain year to sprout and get established for them to grow another generation.. 

[Silas_Sancona]

18 minutes ago, SailorBold said:

Beautiful...thanks for sharing.. I enjoy reading your posts!  so is this a higher rainfall area?  I thought I read that saguaro need an anomalous rain year to sprout and get established for them to grow another generation.. 

As you know, Gates Pass / Tucson Mountains is pretty much the heart of AZ Saguaro territory.. and yes, Tucson typically gets more rain than we do here.

Area out by Florence / Cactus Forest also receives decent rainfall compared to here, but maybe not quite as much as Tucson?.. tough to say since there aren't any  Wx underground- type WX stations to gain info from out there..  As mentioned before, Not sure how accurate it is, but that area is also listed as zone 9b by Plant Maps/ some other sources. Looking over the area from the hill i have mentioned in the past / other larger rock outcrops there, you can see how there is gradual, but obvious east to west / northwest sloping of the land which probably helps drain cold air off the hills west of Kearny.. directing most of it into the canyon carved out by the Gild River.

Almost certain that is correct..  Wet summer, followed by a mild / warm ( and somewhat wet?? ) winter is supposedly the ideal recipe for recruitment.. That and starting under a nurse tree / bush where they'll be sheltered from both the summer sun, and serious cold until big enough to withstand both..