Saguaro In The Sonoran Desert

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Like most desert plants, the Saguaro has developed unique ways to survive. As mentioned above, the rainfall in the Sonoran Desert mainly occurs in two seasons, the winter rain which is light and widespread, and the summer rain that is heavy and partial. The Saguaro relies on its strong ability of storing water to deal with the drought. It has a shallow but very effective root system, which can extend up to more than 50 feet. During the thunderstorm in summer, the roots absorb water into the stem. When it comes to the dry season, the stem shrinks up to the hilt in order to minimize the skin exposure to the intense sunlight and sandstorm, thereby reducing the consumption of the water. After a heavy rain, a giant Saguaro cactus is able to absorb