The Salt River canyon in Arizona contains a blend of desert and riparian ecosystems, which allows it to support a vast array of life. One of the most iconic plants of the area, the Sonoran Desert, is the saguaro cactus, and it can be found in droves the further you travel down in elevation. These plants are large, tree-like cacti that develop branches as they age (although some never do and just grow straight up!). These arms generally bend upward and some cacti can even have up to 25 of these growths! Saguaros are covered with protective spines, white flowers in the late spring, and red fruit in summer.