The saguaro cactus is the iconic plant of the Arizona borderlands, and in June and early July, its fruit ripens. For the Tohono O'odham Nation, harvest time for the “bahidaj” is a sacred start ...

An umbrella is used to catch fresh fruit picked from a saguaro cactus during a harvest season day by the Tohono Oʼodham people in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, June 24 ...

The saguaro cactus is the iconic plant of the Arizona borderlands, and in June and early July, its thorn-covered small fruit ripens. For members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, whose ancestors ...

Cousins Tanisha Tucker Lohse and Maria Francisco set off from their desert camp around dawn on most early summer days, in search of ripe fruit from the towering saguaro cactus, an icon of the ...

For members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, the centuries-old sacred harvest of saguaro fruit from the desert around Tucson is experiencing a revival.

Surveyors combed canyons and the upper reaches of Tucson's Saguaro National Park to find rare plants, some thought to be extinct locally, and new plant species.

Tanisha Tucker Lohse of the Tohono Oʼodham nation picks a ripe saguaro cactus fruit during a harvest day in Saguaro National Park near Tucson on June 23.

Should I Visit Saguaro National Park? Saguaro National Park is the only national park dedicated to one species of cactus. It is an icon of the desert southwest, and the best place to see the ...

I think Saguaro National Park is a fantastic trip to plan or a great addition to an Arizona road trip, and we’ve got all the tips for both fully experiencing the park and great things to do ...

Tanisha Tucker Lohse, of the Tohono Oʼodham nation, picks a ripe saguaro cactus fruit during a harvest day in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Ariz., on Monday, June 23, 2025.