05/22/2022
Our state flower is in bloom!!
Arizona’s official state flower is now on display. Saguaros are blooming in the desert and that is music to my ears, even if it does seem to be more sporadic than previous years. Many are crowned with a halo of buds that seem to fly open all at once, a cooling blast of white. What pollinator in its right mind can resist the urge to dive into a snowbank in the sweltering desert? The flowers usually open at dusk in an effort to attract their prime pollinator, lesser long-nosed bats flying up from Mexico along the “nectar trail.” Blooms stay open the following morning for birds, bees, and fortunate hikers but wilt by afternoon. So much passion crammed into those 18 hours. It’s a beautiful seduction, a delicate cycle between plant and animal. In the end, it’s a love story. It’s a small miracle of harmony and balance. It’s about hope and renewal—a quest to just keep on keeping on. No matter how harsh the conditions of your life, love wins out. Goodness and beauty triumph in the end. Saguaros bloom in the desert. Remember, you can, too. Photo by Rick Mortensen
