Sonora desert   Only few deserts in the world consist of only sand, with the Sahara probably as the best known example. In fact, according to the general definition, any piece of land that is not covered entirely by plants is called a desert. And within this broad definition the Sonora is certainly one of the greenest deserts, in some places almost resembling a forest of cacti and other plants. The pictures on this page were taken in January 1995 during some day trips through the desert. Even though it was outside the main rainy season plant life was abundantly present, as you can see. The saguaro cactus is truly the most prominent inhabitant of the Sonora. It can grow to a height of 15 meters if it lives long enough. Its fruit is edible and has formed an important food source for the people that originally lived here. This is another prominent inhabitant, the creosote bush. If you wonder how it got its name: wait until after it has rained, walk into the desert and open your nostrils. The resin in the leaves is responsible for the creosote smell, and indeed has antiseptic properties. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument lies in the south of Arizona, on the Mexican border. It is almost the only place in the USA where the organ pipe cactus grows. And this is what the monument is named after, the organ pipe cactus. With some imagination it does indeed look a bit like a set of organ pipes. Like with the saguaro its fruit is edible. Still in the monument this is another common inhabitant of the Sonora, the chainfruit cholla. This cactus gets its name from the fact that its flowers spring from the top of last year's fruit, over time forming chains of fruit that hang from the plant. To the right grows a creosote bush.

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