Debunking Vegas Myths: Saguaro Cactuses Do Not Grow Here

By Blog


Published on: January 13, 2025, 08:04h.

Last updated on: October 18, 2024, 09:34h.

A new series on Las Vegas by CNN attempts to clarify the misconceptions about Sin City. It’s surprising to see that the promotional material for “Las Vegas: The Story of Sin City” prominently features a Saguaro cactus.

This is an ad for a recent documentary series from CNN, a news organization with hundreds of fact-checkers. (Image: max.com)

Saguaros can grow in Las Vegas if they are nurtured for several years in their original habitat before being transplanted and receive regular watering.

Arizona Charlie’s uses this method for the ones outside its casinos on Decatur Boulevard and Boulder Highway.

Among the dozens of NFL-licensed souvenirs you could buy advertising the first Super Bowl in Las Vegas were these colorful Saguaro earrings. (Image: NFL.com)

However, Saguaros only grow naturally in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and certain regions of California.

Las Vegas, located in the Mojave Desert, is too dry and cold for saguaros to thrive.

Las Vegas receives about four inches of rain annually, half of what the Sonoran Desert receives, and the temperature occasionally drops below freezing.

The Mojave Desert borders the Sonoran Desert, and the presence of Saguaros marks the transition between the two.

Dispelling the Myth

Many designers of Saguaro-themed Vegas merchandise and artwork may not have firsthand experience living in the Mojave Desert. Tourists often overlook the lack of Saguaros when exploring Vegas.

This postcard from Arizona Charlie’s Casino in Las Vegas features two Saguaros. Two things we know about them for certain is that they were planted elsewhere and they’re hooked up to a watering system. (Image: Arizona Charlie’s)

It’s possible that project managers at CNN and the NFL are aware of the Saguaro’s significance beyond Las Vegas and chose to use it as a recognizable symbol of the Southwest.

This souvenir T-shirt is size X-tra Wrong. (Image: eBay)

The Saguaro may not be native to Las Vegas, but it remains a recognizable symbol of the American Southwest.

It seems that the focus is on marketing to stereotypes rather than absolute accuracy.

For more debunked Vegas myths, check out “Vegas Myths Busted” every Monday on Casino.org. Visit VegasMythsBusted.com for previous myths. Have a myth you want debunked? Email corey@casino.org.



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