City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/75614
Cactus in the Urban Forest: An Introduction With Matt Johnson, Co-Owner of Asset Landscaping and President of the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association In Arizona, saguaros grow up to 32 feet (9.76 m) tall. Matt, to what extent are cactus used as street or park trees? What types of cactus are most often used in urban situations? Matt Johnson: In the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, there is a wide range of microclimates owing in part to modern development over the years. Most cen- tral areas of Phoenix and their suburbs were developed as an oasis in the desert or even replicating the West Coast or Midwest landscape palette of plants. As one travels outward, one begins to see development that incorporates designs that are more native in nature and reflects the growing concern over water conservation. Probably the most recognizable cactus in the Arizona urban forest is the saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). (It can be confused with the cardon grande, Echinopsis terscheckii, which is smaller at maturity.) Often used for postcards or scenes in westerns, the saguaro 24 has become the symbol of the desert southwest. The saguaro is easily the tallest cactus species here, grow- ing to as much as 32 feet (9.76 m). For this reason, saguaro cacti, rather than trees, are used in street medians and community entryways in the desert Southwest. Due to their protected status and weight, it can be expensive to incorporate saguaro in the urban forest. The saguaro may take the space of a tree in roadways and parks, but it is more decorative than functional as a tree. It would be unlikely to rest in the shade up against a saguaro. Some of the most commonly used cacti used in urban settings are the golden barrel (Echinocactus grusonii), hedgehog (genus Echinocereus), prickly pear (Opuntia sp.), and organ pipe (Stenocereus thurberi). Except for the organ pipe, most expand horizontally more quickly than vertically. City Trees