--- title: "It’s So Hot That Decades-Old Cactuses Are Toppling Over in Defeat" description: "The record shattering high temperatures has proven to be too much for even seasoned desert-dwelling saguaro cactuses." date: "2023-08-05" modified: "2023-08-05" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/heat-cactuses-toppling-defeat" categories: - "Climate Change" - "Environment" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "cactus" - "climate change" - "extreme heat" - "plants" - "the digest" --- # It’s So Hot That Decades-Old Cactuses Are Toppling Over in Defeat ![The record shattering high temperatures has proven to be too much for even seasoned desert-dwelling saguaro cactuses.]() *MESA, ARIZONA - AUGUST 02: A damaged saguaro cactus stands with a recently fallen arm resting on the sidewalk on August 2, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona. The cacti are threatened by a number of issues linked to climate change and are under increased stress from extreme heat during Arizona’s brutal summer heat wave. Three saguaro cacti have lost an arm or fallen over in the past week at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden. The saguaro is the largest cactus in the nation, living as long as 150-200 years and reaching heights of over 50 feet. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) \Image: Mario Tama via Getty Images\* ## Climate Casualty Saguaro cactuses, those iconic, multi-armed pillars of green that stand as prickly monuments to life's persistence in the harshest climates, may have finally met their match. *The Associated Press* [reports that]() many of these cactuses populating Phoenix, Arizona, are helplessly collapsing in the wake of the extreme temperatures in July, with local cactus owners and professional gardeners alike discovering these and other plants tragically desiccated, if not dead. "A lot of people are calling and saying their cactus is yellowing really hard, fell over or like broken arms, that sort of thing," Sophia Booth, a local landscape designer, told the *AP*. "Twenty-year-old trees are losing all their leaves, or they're turning a crisp brown." ## Breaking Point While many saguaros have stood tall for decades — and some of the most venerable for more than a century — they now face an unprecedentedly hostile climate. This July is believed to be the [hottest month ever recorded]() across the globe. Phoenix, a municipality smack dab in the middle of the Sonoran Desert, suffered the [hottest month for a US city]() with an average temperature of 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Three innocent saguaros have fallen or lost an arm in the past week alone at the Desert Botanical Garden, a haven to some 1,000 cactuses, many of which are decades old. The mighty cactuses may be at their limit after suffering summer after summer of record heats preceding this one, now giving in. "Since 2020, we have had elevated mortality in our population of saguaros compared to mortality rates pre-2020," Kimberlie McCue, chief science officer at the Desert Botanical Garden, told the *AP*. "So part of our thinking is that there are still saguaros today that were compromised from what they went through in 2020. And that this could be sending them over the edge." ## Rain Dedemption Temporary salvation may well be on the horizon. While there's [no chance of reversing global warming overnight](), a monsoon bringing heavy rains could be a much needed boost to thirsty plantlife — if it comes. Even then, too much rain, or downpours that are distributed lopsidedly, could be harmful. Last year, a revered 200-year-old saguaro cactus [fell victim to wet weather](), toppling asunder in the middle of monsoon season. The plight of the cactuses isn't over yet, and they will most likely have to weather [another onslaught of soaring temperatures]() this summer. Here's to them hanging in there. **More on extreme heat*:*** *[Brutal Heat Wave Is Literally Putting People Into Comas]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()