The wildlife of Arizona is a varied as its scenery and climate.

The plants and animals of Arizona are as varied as its scenery and climate. 

Many cacti are native to the state (many of them protected under state law) including the Saguaro and the organ pipe, the "teddy bear" cholla, the prickly pear, the yucca and the century plant. 

There are also many other desert plants including creosote bushes, mesquite trees and palo verde trees. 

Palm trees are a common sight in southern Arizona, although they are not native to the area and Phoenix and Tucson are always a blaze of color from flowering trees, scrubs and flowers that bloom nearly year round. 

In the Spring the desert is bright with cactus plants and desert trees in bloom, and if there has been rain the desert floor is covered with fast growing desert wildflowers. 

The Sonoran Desert has over 2,500 species of desert plants, but the most unusual and stunning are the cacti.  There are some sixty-eight native varieties which produce varying shades of red, orange and yellow blossoms during March, April and May.  The most common ones in the Sonoran are the saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, organ pipe and barrel cacti.

The majestic giant saguaro cactus can grow 60 feet tall and at night bears the white blossoms which have been designated as the state flower. 

After sixty to seventy years this tall giant begins to form arms and finally reaches full size after about a hundred and fifty years.  The edible red fruit is used for jelly and wine by the Papago Indians, and is also fare for desert birds.

The nemesis of the desert hiker is the cholla with its needlelike thorns that break off easily and cling to whatever touches them.  The pieces laying on the ground seem to jump up and attack ankles.

The flat prickly pear bears edible fruit made into jams and jellies and has hard seeds that are used to make oil.  Their large flowers color the desert in shades of yellow, orange, pink and red.

Desert animals, birds and reptiles include the rattlesnake, prairie dog, coyote, javelina, horned toad, jackrabbit, jaguar, big horned sheep and the roadrunner. 

Wild turkey, mountain lion, deer, elk and bear roam the vast national forests and in northern Arizona is the largest stand of Ponderosa pines in the world, as well as aspen, walnut, maple, juniper, oak and pinyon pine.

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