Sept. 1 -- An old Saguaro cactus known as the Bicentennial Cactus and a popular landmark that had looked over the Sutherland Wash since shortly after the turn of the 19th century has collapsed following heavy rains in southern Arizona. The Saguaro is the largest cactus type in the U.S. and usually grows up to 40 feet tall, with the largest one measuring 78 feet, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Advertisement The department told AccuWeather that it estimated the fallen Saguaro was between 40 to 50 feet tall with over 30 arms. But when it was found, the once towering cactus broke at the stem with its gargantuan arms sprawled out across the ground. "Powerful seasonal rains can quickly make an impact on the desert landscape. The loss of this huge, iconic 200-year-old Saguaro on the Romero Ruins trail overlooking the Sutherland Wash at Catalina State Park in Tucson is one change regular park visitors can't miss," the Arizona Department of Parks said on Facebook. Advertisement "We don't know the day it fell over, but it was sometime during the heavy rains Tucson received during August," Arizona State Parks and Trails Communications Coordinator Elisabeth Haugan said. The day before the Arizona Department of Parks posted, thunderstorms rumbled to life across southeastern Arizona on Sunday, AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said. "While a majority of these storms were rather scattered in nature, it does look like a few made it into the vicinity of Catalina State Park," Gilbert said. "Rainfall amounts across the region were measured between 0.15 and 0.50 of an inch. Totals could have been higher in the park itself, but even a seemingly small amount of rainfall can have major impacts in the desert." The roughly 200-year-old Saguaro cactus is seen as it formerly stood on the Romero Ruins Trail at Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona. Photo courtesy Arizona Department of Parks/Facebook Tucson, less than 15 miles south of the park, normally receives about 2 inches of rainfall throughout the month of August. This August, the city received 2.82 inches within the month, or 142% of its average monthly rainfall, according to Gilbert. She added that July and August are the wettest months of the year in the area, largely due to the North American monsoon season impacts. Advertisement Many visitors to Catalina State Park recalled their visit in the comments of the Facebook post and included photos of the giant, showing the full scale of just how tall it had grown over the course of two centuries. RELATED Atlantic tropical system may snap historic stretch with no named storms In one, a man stood next to the cactus' stem. The top of his head was just shy of where the main cluster of arms sprouted from the plant. Many others also showed the massive cactus towering over travelers, casting a shade that offered respite from the sun's rays. Since the plant had fallen off of the trail, it will remain where it landed and provide habitat and food for creatures as it decomposes, according to park officials. "Sad, but nice to think it'll still be a beautiful home for many critters for years to come!" the Arizona Game & Fish Department commented on the post. The Arizona Department of Parks added that is "the silver lining to the fall of this icon." 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Sept. 1 -- An old Saguaro cactus known as the Bicentennial Cactus and a popular landmark that had looked over the Sutherland Wash since shortly after the turn of the 19th century has collapsed following heavy rains in southern Arizona.
The Saguaro is the largest cactus type in the U.S. and usually grows up to 40 feet tall, with the largest one measuring 78 feet, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Advertisement
The department told AccuWeather that it estimated the fallen Saguaro was between 40 to 50 feet tall with over 30 arms. But when it was found, the once towering cactus broke at the stem with its gargantuan arms sprawled out across the ground.
"Powerful seasonal rains can quickly make an impact on the desert landscape. The loss of this huge, iconic 200-year-old Saguaro on the Romero Ruins trail overlooking the Sutherland Wash at Catalina State Park in Tucson is one change regular park visitors can't miss," the Arizona Department of Parks said on Facebook. Advertisement
"We don't know the day it fell over, but it was sometime during the heavy rains Tucson received during August," Arizona State Parks and Trails Communications Coordinator Elisabeth Haugan said.
The day before the Arizona Department of Parks posted, thunderstorms rumbled to life across southeastern Arizona on Sunday, AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said.
"While a majority of these storms were rather scattered in nature, it does look like a few made it into the vicinity of Catalina State Park," Gilbert said. "Rainfall amounts across the region were measured between 0.15 and 0.50 of an inch. Totals could have been higher in the park itself, but even a seemingly small amount of rainfall can have major impacts in the desert." The roughly 200-year-old Saguaro cactus is seen as it formerly stood on the Romero Ruins Trail at Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona. Photo courtesy Arizona Department of Parks/Facebook
Tucson, less than 15 miles south of the park, normally receives about 2 inches of rainfall throughout the month of August. This August, the city received 2.82 inches within the month, or 142% of its average monthly rainfall, according to Gilbert.
She added that July and August are the wettest months of the year in the area, largely due to the North American monsoon season impacts. Advertisement
Many visitors to Catalina State Park recalled their visit in the comments of the Facebook post and included photos of the giant, showing the full scale of just how tall it had grown over the course of two centuries. RELATED Atlantic tropical system may snap historic stretch with no named storms
In one, a man stood next to the cactus' stem. The top of his head was just shy of where the main cluster of arms sprouted from the plant. Many others also showed the massive cactus towering over travelers, casting a shade that offered respite from the sun's rays.
Since the plant had fallen off of the trail, it will remain where it landed and provide habitat and food for creatures as it decomposes, according to park officials.
"Sad, but nice to think it'll still be a beautiful home for many critters for years to come!" the Arizona Game & Fish Department commented on the post.
The Arizona Department of Parks added that is "the silver lining to the fall of this icon."