Huge cactus that was growing during the Civil War topples over in Arizona park. Why?

A towering cactus that likely predates the Civil War has fallen in Arizona’s Picacho Peak State Park, raising questions about whether its collapse was related to record heat in the Southwest.

The saguaro cactus stood along the steep Calloway Trail, according to an Aug. 12 Facebook post. It’s not known exactly when it fell, only that it was recent, Arizona State Parks officials said.

A site inspection revealed the cactus was 36 feet tall, which means it was “about 150-175 years old,” officials said.

“Saguaros are around 200 years old and considered full-grown when they tower at 40 feet tall. This big guy was nearly there!” state parks officials said.

“There is a lot of buzz about saguaros falling due to the heat but that is not the case here.”

It was definitely toppled by the weather, officials say, but it had more to do with wind and rain than the extreme heat.

A well-fed saguaro can weigh up to 4,800 pounds, and it’s highly likely the cactus was engorged with rain when it fell over, officials says.

“This saguaro clearly fell due to wind and its weight,” state parks officials wrote. “We can see this from the clean break at its base as well as its location on a steep slope. ... Picacho Peak recently got a bit of rain, so this saguaro was likely hydrated and heavy when the high winds ripped through the area.”

The once great giant is now shriveling in the sun and feeding “desert microorganisms, insects, reptiles, and rodents.”

“Sometimes giants fall but their legacy lives on,” the park noted.

Picacho Peak State Park is a 3,747-acre desert park about 44 miles northwest of Tucson.

This story was originally published August 15, 2023 at 1:03 PM with the headline "Huge cactus that was growing during the Civil War topples over in Arizona park. Why?."