Cactus Skeletons

Having spent most of my life in Oregon, I have rarely been around cacti like those found here in the Arizona desert. I never gave much thought as to what a dead cactus would look like. Having now seen them, I find them fascinating. The first pics are of a Saguaro cacti and its skeleton.

Above picture shows a live cacti and a partially decayed one standing nearby. The lower picture gives a clearer look at the skeleton.

As you can see it is made up of multiple wood type cards around a hollow center. The next pictures are of another cacti. I am not sure of its name but the first is a live cacti and the second the skeleton.

This third picture is a close up of the woven pattern of the skeletons woody fibers.

As I pondered these interesting designs, I concluded that this structure allows the cacti to soak up and store as much moisture as possible from the infrequent rains! They can swell and not split open! Interestingly, the Barrel cacti are usually oblong shaped but with the large amount of rainfall this year the are as rounds as basketballs! Dangerous prickly green basketballs! I have had the misfortune of brushing against several varieties of cacti this year! I assure you it is a very painful experience that you will want to avoid at all costs!