''Stenocereus thurberi'', the organ pipe cactus, is a species of

cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...

native to

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The species is found in rocky desert. Two subspecies are recognized based on their distribution and height. The

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a U.S. national monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve located in extreme southern Arizona that shares a border with the Mexican state of Sonora. The park is the only place in the United States where the ...

is named for the species. Its English common name is derived from its resemblance to a

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...

. It is locally known as ''pitaya dulce'',

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

for "sweet

pitaya A pitaya () or pitahaya () is the fruit of several different cactus species indigenous to the Americas. Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus ''Stenocereus'', while pitahaya or dragon fruit refers to fruit of the genus ''Selenicereus'' ( ...

" or sweet cactus fruit.

Description

This cactus species has several narrow stems that rise vertically, growing from a single short trunk just above the ground level. These stems are about thick and grow to a height of , however it has been known to reach . These stems rarely branch but rather grow annually from the tip of the last growth. The mature plant can reach a width of . Each stem has twelve to nineteen high ribs that bear dark brown to black spines that turn gray as it matures. It takes 150 years to reach maturity. The older plants produce funnel-shaped white flowers annually which are open at night and close by the morning and have a purple or pink tint to them. These usually grow during April, May, and June. The organ pipe cactus is usually pollinated by bats. The plant also produces fruit about the size of a tennis ball. Beneath the fruit's spiny exterior is red flesh that has been described as tasting better than watermelon. This fruit has traditionally been harvested by the

Seri Seri or SERI may refer to: People *Jean Michaël Seri, an Ivorian professional footballer Places *Seri Yek-e Zarruk, Iran *Seri, Bheri, Nepal *Seri, Karnali, Nepal *Seri, Mahakali, Nepal *Seri, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India Oth ...

s, who call the plant ool , and is used as a medicine. Image:Stenocereus thurberi.JPG, Organ pipe cactus stem Image:Stenocereus thurberi-flower.jpg, Organ pipe cactus flower

Distribution

This species is found mostly in

, mainly in

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...

and southern

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

and Northern Sinaloa. It is also known to the United States, but is much rarer, with the notable exception of

. The plant is predominantly found on rocky hillsides up to in elevation. It is sensitive to frost, so the species is rare in low desert areas, which can be more susceptible to frost. The plant is slow growing, and prefers well-drained

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...

and full sun. However, when in the seedling stage, it requires shade, and will grow beneath a "nurse tree". It will need this for several years until it grows an adequate root system, which is mostly in the upper 10 cm of soil.

Subspecies

There are two recognized subspecies, the type subspecies, ''thurberi'', is much larger and occurs in southern Arizona, mainland Mexico, and Northern Baja California. The other is ''littoralis'', which is much smaller and usually grows to around . It occurs only in southern Baja California.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1975128 thurberi Flora of the Sonoran Deserts North American desert flora Flora of Arizona Flora of Baja California Flora of Baja California Sur Flora of Sonora Flora of Northwestern Mexico Desert fruits Cacti of Mexico Cacti of the United States Plants described in 1854

Description

Distribution

Subspecies

See also

References