The Slowest Growing Tree
A unique tree that grows at a surprisingly slow pace, just 1 inch in 10 years and 6 inch by 70 years
By Mukesh Sharma
It sounds funny that a ‘plant’ which
belongs to the vast plant kingdom and is categorized as a tree, grows at an
incredible slow pace - just one inch above the ground in long 10 years. Further, by
70 years, it reaches a height of just 6 inch and produces attractive flowers.
However, it can reach a height of 15-16 feet in 95-100 years. Surprisingly
enough, it may go up to a towering height of 60 feet over a long period of time
and its life-span is estimated by botanists as long as 300 -400 years.
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| Blogger with one of the slowest growing trees in the world |
Of course, this blogger wishes to write
about the most respected State tree of Arizona (one of the States of US) called
by the name Saguaro. What is noteworthy, it is a criminal act to remove or
plant a saguaro without a permit and tag from AZDA (Arizona Department of Agriculture). Removing, damaging or felling
Saguaro attracts serious charges of FELONY in Arizona and is punishable with
imprisonment and fine both.
Saguaro is member of Cactus family. With a
thorny trunk, fully grown tree may have as many as 52 arms sticking out of
trunk making a loop and opening up upwardly. In Peoria, Arizona which is also
known as valley city - surrounded by
mountains or Salt River Valley, Saguaro is found in abundance - on the
mountains, beside the serpentine roads through hills and even in front of
houses of native residents. From distance, particularly, during dark, it looks
like the ‘trident’ of Hindu God, Lord Shiva; it seems Saguaro is there to
safeguard all the creature in the valley be it plants or animals. The oldest
Saguaro which lived for 300 years and died in 1990s, was respectably known as “Old Grand Daddy”.
Peoria, Arizona is the natural habitat of
Saguaro and it is found here only on the earth - so special and so significant.
This blogger has great pleasure to share this interesting information about this unique tree, Saguaro and also the pictures clicked by the blogger
for his valued readers. It would be a great pleasure to have comments on the
write-up and pictures, and the blogger would also love to answer the pertinent
questions of the readers on the related topic, if any.
