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Saguaro Cactus/25'-30'

Carline
18 years ago

I have a Saguaro in the front of my yard. Approximately 25'-30', with approx. 20 arms. Two arms have fallen off. I'd like to have it removed. What do I need to do. Is it something that I can sell? Who would I need to contact to have it taken out. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Comments (36)

  • turtleman49
    18 years ago

    Theres a few options to you,
    Run an add to sell it but buyer must move
    Pay a mover to move it to their yard, but they charge around 8 to 12 dollars per foot
    Use a chain Saw to cut it down, but be careful because they have several "stalks" inside so you have to watch out how it might fall..
    Run an ad to find someone who really wants one that size and give it to them if they move it
    I have a card around here somewere of some guys that move them, if I can find it I'll post back.. Personally I hate to see these removed its always better to relocate it if you can

  • ddiverblue
    18 years ago

    Turtleman had a lot of good suggestions. You also need to remember that if anyone moves it from your property you need a permit to do so because the Saguaros are protected. A few have been chainsawed down in our neighborhood, and IMHO that is heartbreaking. I hope you can find someone who will move it. Good luck.

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    If you are in the Phx area, try contacting Desierto Verde and see if they'll take it for you.

    HTH!

  • judy_b
    18 years ago

    My neighbors had some removed a few years ago. They could find no one that would take them because they had bird holes in them which apparently weakens them. Large saguaros are VERY dangerous to move, so make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing. It takes some specialized equipment, also.

  • mandyc
    18 years ago

    I didn't think you were alowed to kill them since they are endangered, or threatened (or at least used to be) and are protected?
    I found this online too..."At seventy-five years old, the cactus begins to sprout arms that grow parallel to the body. As many as fifty arms can be found on older saguaros with ages estimated to be 200 years old. A cactus that large can weigh over eight tons." I wouldn't want to move something that big imagine how old it must be if it has 20 arms, not to mention how heavy it is.
    deffinately make sure they know what they are doing if you do have someone relocate it, it would be a shame to cut it down.
    Amanda

  • judy_b
    18 years ago

    You're not supposed to move them without a permit so it will show that you didn't get it illegally, but you can remove them however you choose from your own property.

  • azjewels
    18 years ago

    I had this problem recently. Here is some information on removing a Saguaro Cactus:

    " You must apply for a permit. This is a protected species in Az! Just because its on your property doesn't mean you can move it or kill it.

    Call the Arizona Department of Agricultural 602-542-4631 or visit them on-line at http://www.azda.gov/index.html
    "http://agriculture.state.az.us/ESD/remove.pdf"; - Application for
    Arizona Protected Native Plants And Wood Removal.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Saguaro

  • judy_b
    18 years ago

    Quote from the Arizona Department of Agriculture: "As a landowner, you have the right to destroy or remove any plant growing from your land but if you are going to destroy them, you must notify Az. Dept. of Ag. before you plant to initiate this action...no person may legally transport protected native plants from any land without first obtaining a permit from A. D. A."

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    Yeah, as a member of the Cactus & Succulent society, I can tell you we have removed some from sites where building is about to begin and the developers are about to blade every species on the ground; endangered or common, cactus, shrub and tree. You have to get a permit to move them, so it costs us money to save them, but they can blade them at will.

    Anyway, if you call Desierto Verde, they were one of the first companies to try to save some of the species being bladed and make a business out of selling the mature plants that so many home owners & developers (ironic, isn't it?) want.

    HTH!

  • Daud
    18 years ago

    A tree of a similar size would cost several thousands for transplant and this saguaro is much heavier. Still, I might be interested to get it from you if it looks "healthy".

  • lazy_gardens
    18 years ago

    Call the specialist Cactus nurseries and tree companies ... tell them that you will let them bid on the right to remove it. They may ask you to keep it for a while until they get the crews together, but you could profit from this.

    You will have to make sure you get the right tags.

    DAUD -
    a 20' saguaro with 10-20 arms takes a crane, a certified crane operator, a flatbed truck and its driver, and a crew of 4 or more guys to prepare and move - it's going to be 16,000 pounds and very awkwardly distributed weight. There have been fatalities when inadequately prepared people tried to move one.

  • aficionado
    18 years ago

    Why do you want to get ride of it? Saquaro's sell for about $70 a foot. Plus add footage for each arm. Sounds like you have a $2000 - $5000 cactus there. Your in the Desert, a saguaro with 20 arms, I'd die for that.

    Call Arizona Cactus Sales. I think they'll take it off your hands, expecially for free. But don't kill it, it's 200 years old !!!

  • Stony
    18 years ago

    I have a Saguaro about 18 foot tall with no arms that started to lean slightly, maybe 3-4 degrees. A called around to find if I could get it reset straight. I only found one place and they wanted $475. I am retired in Sun Lakes so I am unable to do that. If someone is interested in removing it please contace me. It is healthy.

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    18 years ago

    The saguaro you describe should be worshipped. The Tohono Oodom natives in Arizona call the saguaro their people, their family. If you see the movie at the visitor center at Saguaro National Park in Tucson, you may begin to have an appreciation for what these plants mean, what they stand for, and how rare they are.

    Nowhere else in the world do these plants grow. You have a specimen that brings awe to many people. Please try to look at it with new eyes and let it live out its natural life with dignity. There is a whole community of animals that live and depend on this magnificent plant.

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    LOL, it's hard to worship something that is about to fall -and could easily kill a grown man if it does.

    Please understand, most of us are reverent of our treasured saguaros; that doesn't mean that we can all individually afford to take care of one. It is only responsible for someone to offer it to someone who can. You wanna deal with it? C'mon down and get it moved in to *your* yard!

    Sheesh.

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    18 years ago

    I wish I could. I live in New York. LOL. The original poster didn't indicate it was a danger. I guess if it's dangerous to be around, that's a different story. I was so enchanted with the Tucson parks this spring, the plant life down there has become part of my spiritual enjoyment. I even enjoyed the beauty of the dead saguaros on the ground. I can see why people want to spend winters there.

  • vango_2001_yahoo_com
    17 years ago

    I too have a Saguaro approximately 25' tall that I am looking to sell. I am in Scottsdale, and if you have an interest, please let me know. I have pictures to email as well.

  • lazy_gardens
    17 years ago

    Saguaros in urban areas develop arms MUCH sooner than those surviving on antural rainfall.

    If it's dropping arms, it's a safety hazard ... and there are companies that will remove it for free. Yesk, the resell them for mucho dinero, but they also have to find a buyer, and hire sall the cranes and trucks: it ain't cheap!

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    17 years ago

    Just have to step back in here to say that I live in a forest. If we cut down every tree that had falling branches or was getting old, we'd have no forest left. Trees do that. They drop branches. Winds blow and scatter tree parts everywhere up here. Heavy limbs come down. No one stands under a cactus waiting for an arm to fall any more than one waits for a tree branch to fall.

    I pick up tree branches all the time and folks are continually using buzz saws to cut already downed wood for heat around here. Cherish your saguaro. It is a living thing that is becoming rare due to people taking over.

    Yes, I'm a saguaro hugger!

  • bugoff
    16 years ago

    I also have a 25' saquaro starting to lean and it is free to anyone who moves it. It is leaning toward my meter pole, very easy to get to on edge of driveway

  • w_john91_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    i have a 25 plus ft saguaro next to my house i want to sell and have removed it has a few bird holes

  • israelbenner_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    I have a 15 ft saguaro in lkmy front hard that I want to sell. It has a thicker base than normal and has no bird holes. It is in excellent condition. Does anyone have a company name or number I can call to have it removed?

  • dave_gmail_com
    13 years ago

    I recently had these guys move 2 - 6' saguaros and several barrel cacti (golden and fish hook) They were very reasonable and fast once they got started.

    Tree Relocators Inc
    480-244-8494 / 480-947-6118
    Treerelocators(at)cox.net / replace (at) with @

  • zone10aridgardener
    12 years ago

    Ouch! I had a similiar experience. My 40 ft. saquaro fell alltogether and smashed a bunch of stuff, so we hired people to cut it up and take it away.

  • johnlvs2run
    12 years ago

    A neighbor has a 20' saguaro cactus with five arms and is looking to get rid of it.
    The cactus is located in Central California near the coast, is less than 33 years of age
    and in excellent condition with no holes.

    Let me know if you are interested or know of someone who is.

  • scratchmstermike1_att_net
    12 years ago

    I live at the beach in Palos Verdes Estates; however, I own a twenty acre parcel with a home in Palm Springs. The home and yard sit on about 1.5 acres of flat land and the remaining property is mostly to ensure privacy away from neighbors.

    I would be very interested in knowing more about this 25' Saguaro with the 20 arms; the legal implications of moving it to California--if that is even feasible (after such a major expenditure, would this cactus even survive such a move); and, the moving and permit costs and logistics of moving this behemoth.

    Also, are there mortality or soil type issues after transplanting it at the new location. I only go to this property several times a year; so, am I correct in assuming that these beauties don't need frequent watering, or do they when transplanted?

    This cactus coupled with the sunset would look phenomenol.

  • kbdesigns
    11 years ago

    There are many avenues for having a saguaro removed from your property at no cost to you, or even making a profit. You can list it on craigslist in the free section or sell it in the garden section. You can also contact the AZ Dept of Agriculture. The ADA retains a list of companies, non-profits and individuals willing to salvage any unwanted saguaro or other cacti. Most local saguaro movers will give you a bid on purchasing.

  • gjwkjj13
    10 years ago

    I have a 30-35 ft one that is dying and almost fallen over. It's lost most its arms which we just threw away. I'm gonna chop it up and remove it myself to the local dump unless someone wants to come get it for free. The HOA came and took pics and said that we can remove it since its leaning so far. They didn't want to relocate it somewhere else. I have 4 kids under 7 that can't play in the front because of it.

    Please come take it ASAP or I'm cutting it down in a million pieces.

    I'm on pecos and Dobson rd in chandler, az

  • mjp_80
    10 years ago

    I live 2 miles from Saguaro National Park. Soil here is like sand and I have 7 saguaros growing.

    One of mine came crashing to the ground :-(

    It started getting black at the base after 5 days of rain then this

    https://www.dropcam.com/c/4f2678da859d4c06b91f6cd1e3e32e95.mp4

  • stephani_2007
    10 years ago

    If you live near Tucson the soil is not like sand. You may be thinking of a sand like layer on the top in the desert. Anywhere that has flash floods has clay soil unless it has been seriously amended.

  • mjp_80
    10 years ago

    Maybe some clay but we have a ton of sand also. It's not like when I lived in mesa arizona where the soil was rock hard clay. We have so much sand my car has got stuck twice on our dirt road. The ground here is to soft I can go out side and dig a hole with my hand.

    If your talking about sand dunes then no our soil is not like that.

    By far though we are nothing like phx or mesa with the amount of clay. I've never had such a easy time tilling my yard like I do here in tucson. the shovel just sinks in the sand. I have to use a ton of peatmoss for the ground to hold water.

  • Jack Hamilton
    8 years ago

    We have one in our side yard that is leaning towards the house and we just would like someone to take it out not wanting any money for it. Just want it removed before it galls on our home who should we contact. We live in east mesa

  • Cheryl Perry Fiore
    7 years ago

    I have a saguaro on the side of my house in Tucson. I need it removed ASAP. I have someone coming over this afternoon to give me a quote but I believe someone can make some money from this. I would prefer someone to remove it for free. The arms are large and still alive however the center is dying. It looks as though it will fall very soon and most likely on my house. I live off of Grant rd near Costco. Please someone respond to this post as soon as possible. I really can't afford to pay someone to remove this beautiful cactus. Cheryl

  • Jennifer K
    3 years ago

    The cactus wren lives in the saguaro cactus thus gives the name of the bird. Nesting birds do not damage the cactus. The cactus seals itself to protect the inner shell or spine.

  • HU-3578785
    2 years ago

    I have a high one in my front yard not interested in selling it I will give it to any one who will remove it. It is starting to sway with strong winds

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