Carnegiea gigantea: The saguaro and its uses

The saguaro,Carnegiea gigantea, is a tall cactus native to the desert area of southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. It has been used for centuries among the Indians of the region as a source of food and drink, as well as for a wide variety of other purposes. The cactus has taken a great place in the life of the Indians, most notably the Papago, who still collect the fruit and make a wine for ceremonial purposes from it. Several botanical, ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies have been made on the cactus, whose flower is the State Flower of Arizona.