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The Official GuideThe Official GuideThe Official GuideThe Official GuideThe Official Guide

© 2016 Tohono Chul

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IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction page 3

HeritageHeritageHeritageHeritageHeritageOur Past/Our Present page 5

Arts and CultureArts and CultureArts and CultureArts and CultureArts and CultureThe “Heart” of Tohono Chul page 12

EducationEducationEducationEducationEducationLiving with the Desert page 19

StewardshipStewardshipStewardshipStewardshipStewardshipLiving in the Desert page 25

InnovationInnovationInnovationInnovationInnovationOur Future page 35

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of Contents

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IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionWelcome to Tohono Chulwhere nature, art and culture

connect! We’re in the Sonoran Desert, ahighly diverse region with a variety of plantsand animals having remarkable survival skillsadapted to an often inhospitable climate. Inaddition, here in our border region aconfluence of cultures has interconnectedwith the natural environment, thus contrib-uting to our distinctive regional character.

Tohono Chul is located in a sprawling urbanenvironment in one of the fastest growingcities in the United States. Residential hous-ing, strip shopping centers, and non-nativeplants are quickly replacing the pristinedesert. This loss of habitat makes the vul-nerability of the desert even more obvious;therefore our mission becomes even moreimperative. Our goal and purpose is to in-Our goal and purpose is to in-Our goal and purpose is to in-Our goal and purpose is to in-Our goal and purpose is to in-spire everyone — visitors, communityspire everyone — visitors, communityspire everyone — visitors, communityspire everyone — visitors, communityspire everyone — visitors, communitymembers and, most impormembers and, most impormembers and, most impormembers and, most impormembers and, most importantlytantlytantlytantlytantly, childr, childr, childr, childr, childrenenenenen— with the desire to learn how to live — with the desire to learn how to live — with the desire to learn how to live — with the desire to learn how to live — with the desire to learn how to live withwithwithwithwithour deserour deserour deserour deserour desert home. t home. t home. t home. t home. We serve as a model forothers to learn to be participant stewards ofthis fragile environment.

The site itself offers a dramatic setting forour regional focus. Views of the majesticSanta Catalina Mountains form a backdrop

for this natural desert habitat. Its locationwithin existing migratory tracks provides atemporary home for many species of wild,native fauna. Thirty-eight species of birdsmake their permanent home here while an-other 57 migrant species visit seasonally. Avariety of reptiles and mammals, from gilamonsters to gray fox, may be spotted on thePark grounds.

Within these surroundings, Tohono Chul hasdeveloped thematic displays using its col-lections to teach visitors about indigenousplants and animals, conservation, desert ecol-ogy and native cultures. We are the onlyorganization in our region whose primaryfocus is on these natural and cultural con-nections, giving our visitors a unique per-spective on the Sonoran Desert.

Our botanical collections consist primarilyof those plants native to our region oradapted to the American Southwest. Theyinclude more than 150 species of shrubs andtrees; 300 species of cacti and succulents;and 50 species of wildflowers. In addition,we have the largest public collection of na-tive Night-blooming Cereus (Peniocereus greggii)in the United States! Moreover, visitors of-ten encounter the serendipitous — a birdfeeding its young; a lizard capturing its prey;a rabbit scampering through the desert scrub— an opportunity to connect with the won-ders of nature.

Exploring the grounds you will encounterdiverse exhibits such as the EthnobotanicalGarden, which displays some of the indig-enous plants cultivated by Southwestern na-tive peoples for food, medicine, and other

The mission of TThe mission of TThe mission of TThe mission of TThe mission of Tohono Chul Park isohono Chul Park isohono Chul Park isohono Chul Park isohono Chul Park isto enrich people's lives by connecting themto enrich people's lives by connecting themto enrich people's lives by connecting themto enrich people's lives by connecting themto enrich people's lives by connecting themwith the wonders of nature, art and culturewith the wonders of nature, art and culturewith the wonders of nature, art and culturewith the wonders of nature, art and culturewith the wonders of nature, art and culturein the Sonoran Desert region and inspiringin the Sonoran Desert region and inspiringin the Sonoran Desert region and inspiringin the Sonoran Desert region and inspiringin the Sonoran Desert region and inspiring

wise stewardship of the natural world.wise stewardship of the natural world.wise stewardship of the natural world.wise stewardship of the natural world.wise stewardship of the natural world.

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necessities of life; a re-circulating desertstream, which replicates the natural vegeta-tion of Arizona’s riparian communities; theGeology Wall, which illustrates the geo-logic history of the nearby Santa CatalinaMountains; our Desert Living Courtyardfilled with home landscaping ideas, whichpromote native and arid-adapted plants in avariety of design aesthetics; and, our SaguaroDiscovery Trail where visitors can explorethe life of the saguaro both through its cul-tural connections to the Tohono O’odhamand its botanical connections to the naturalhistory of the Sonoran Desert.

Tohono Chul’s changing indoor arts and cul-tural exhibitions are strongly community ori-ented, and feature community groups andartists of all ages.

Our educational philosophy blends the eco-logical, cultural and artistic, distinguishingus in the community. Our programs are de-signed to enable our audiences to reach abetter understanding of the relationships thatshape the land — the complex interplayamong the desert and its plants, animals andpeople. With this understanding comes aricher appreciation for the desert’s allure anda heightened sense of the need to preserveits beauty and biodiversity.

TTTTTHEHEHEHEHE S S S S SONORANONORANONORANONORANONORAN D D D D DESERTESERTESERTESERTESERT

The Sonoran Desert is a subtropicalsubtropicalsubtropicalsubtropicalsubtropicaldesert. desert. desert. desert. desert. It lies in portions of Arizona andsoutheast California in the UnitedStates, and Sonora and Baja Californiain Mexico. Precipitation ranges from

one to 15 inches annually, most fallingin winter and summer. Summer tempera-tures can reach over 110° and wintersare mild with only brief periods of freez-ing temperatures. The vegetation ofmuch of the Sonoran Desert is more var-ied than that of the other North Ameri-can deserts, with many trees and shrubsas well as large cacti and other succu-lents.

Tucson’s characteristic saguaro-palo verdeplant communities place it within the Ari-Ari-Ari-Ari-Ari-zona Uplandzona Uplandzona Uplandzona Uplandzona Upland subdivision of the SonoranDesert, one of six fairly distinct regions.

The average annual rainfall at the weatherstation at Tucson International Airportis 11 inches, though we have seen as littleas five inches in a year and as much as 24inches. Mt. Lemmon in the SantaCatalinas north of the city receives 30to 35 inches annually.

Our precipitation is bi-seasonal -- in thewinter from December through Marchand in the summer from July throughearly September. Winter rains come in-termittently from cool low-pressure sys-tems moving from the Pacific Ocean.Heavy snows can fall in the higher moun-tains and Tucson itself has been knownto receive a light dusting every severalyears. The majority of the rain falls dur-ing the summer monsoon season. Theselocalized and often violent thunder-storms can drop prodigious amounts ofrain in a short time -- up to four inches!

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Our PastOur PastOur PastOur PastOur PastPPPPPREHISTORICREHISTORICREHISTORICREHISTORICREHISTORIC O O O O ORIGINSRIGINSRIGINSRIGINSRIGINS

The recent history of the sitebegins in the early 1920s when land thatwould eventually be part of Tohono Chul’scurrent 49 acres was homesteaded byTucsonans interested in raising cash cropslike citrus and dates. However, centuriesbefore, prehistoric native peoples lived inthis place. Situated on the outer edge ofthe alluvial fan that extends outward fromthe base of Pusch Ridge in the Santa CatalinaMountains, this section of Arizona Uplandwas occupied by the Hohokam before thefirst millennium.

Hohokam is aPima word mean-ing “all used up,”no doubt a refer-ence to the factthat after almost athousand yearstheir culture col-lapsed and by1450 they no longer lived in the Tucsonbasin. These early farmers occupied the Salt,Gila and Santa Cruz River basins beginningabout AD 450. Sophisticated agriculturists,they built irrigation canals, lived in villagesof pithouses surrounding a central plaza, im-ported from Mesoamerica the tradition ofbuilding ballcourts and engaging in team

heritage

sports and tradedas far as the Gulf ofCalifornia forshells and parrotfeathers from therainforests of Cen-tral America.Archaeologica levidence of Ho-hokam habitation on the Park site includesisolated plainware sherds discovered alongthe arroyos on the southern edge of theproperty and a major find uncovered duringthe construction of what is now the LomakiHouse in the late 1960s. Broken pieces ofred and buff decorated pottery indicate thesite was occupied consecutively throughthree Hohokam cultural phases — the Rillitoand the Early and Middle Rincon — betweenAD 850 and 1150.

TTTTTHEHEHEHEHE 20 20 20 20 20THTHTHTHTH C C C C CENTURYENTURYENTURYENTURYENTURY

In the 1920s, the entire northwest sectionof Tucson — called the “thermal belt” be-cause of the foothills’ milder winter climate— was considered ideal for growing frost-sensitive citrus and date palms. Maurice Reid,father of Gene for whom Tucson’s Reid Parkand Zoo are named, owned property fromOrange Grove Road to Ina Road and beyondand planted it with groves of citrus trees.He introduced black date palms and grape-fruit to the property that would becomeTohono Chul; aerial photos of the 1940sclearly show the rows of trees south of the

Hohokam living on siteHohokam living on siteHohokam living on siteHohokam living on siteHohokam living on siteAD 850-1150AD 850-1150AD 850-1150AD 850-1150AD 850-1150

Hohokam disappearHohokam disappearHohokam disappearHohokam disappearHohokam disappear14501450145014501450

Rincon polychromeAD 1000-1100

Rincon red-on-brownAD 925-1000

farming in Tucson Basinfarming in Tucson Basinfarming in Tucson Basinfarming in Tucson Basinfarming in Tucson Basinby 2100 BCby 2100 BCby 2100 BCby 2100 BCby 2100 BC

Father Kino arrivesFather Kino arrivesFather Kino arrivesFather Kino arrivesFather Kino arrives1 6 9 21 6 9 21 6 9 21 6 9 21 6 9 2

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Exhibit House. At this time in Tucson’s his-tory, not much thought was given to con-serving a limited water supply and wellspumped precious groundwater to irrigate thethirsty trees. For many years a thriving lo-cal industry shipped Tucson’s citrus and datesto other parts of the United States. Grovesof citrus trees remained even after SamuelW. Seaney subdivided the area in 1931, call-ing it Catalina Citrus Estates.

Seaney had homesteaded 640 acres in 1930and daughter Cornelia Seaney Lovitt remem-bers spending weekends with her mother ina cabin off Magee Road to qualify for the

homestead rights. Seaney also sank a wellnear Magee and Northern streets and sup-plied water to several residents in the area.At that time, utility lines did not extendnorth of the Rillito River, and roads in thearea were unpaved.

Maurice Reid, acting as realtor for Seaney,sold the future site of Tohono Chul to JohnT. deBlois Wack in 1937. Mr. Wack was anavid polo player from Santa Barbara and afriend of the Reverend George Ferguson,pastor of the newly consecrated St. Philip’sin the Foothills Episcopal Church. Follow-ing an afternoon spent drinking mint juleps,the Fergusons and young Gene Reid escortedthe Wacks around the property. Their ob-vious powers of persuasion resulted in thesale at a cost of $200 an acre — $16,000 forthe 80-acre parcel. Later that year, PaulHolton built the Wacks a Santa Fe stylehouse (today’s Exhibit House) at a cost of$60,000 based on the plans of Santa Barbaraarchitect Chester L. Carjola. During con-struction, the adobe bricks for the 18” thickouter walls were made on the premises andPonderosa pine logs were brought down thewinding back road from Mt. Lemmon to beused for the living room beams. Adobe wasused not just for its aesthetic appeal. In thedays before central air conditioning wisedesert dwellers knew that adobe walls wouldkeep interiors cool during the heat of thesummer, while maintaining warmth during

FFFFFROSTROSTROSTROSTROST P P P P POCKETSOCKETSOCKETSOCKETSOCKETS & T & T & T & T & THERMALHERMALHERMALHERMALHERMAL B B B B BELTSELTSELTSELTSELTS

Have you ever noticed the drop in tem-perature while crossing a desert wash atnight? Cold air, being heavier than warmair, tends to flow down mountain can-yons and settle in low-lying areas, whichresults in a temperature inversion. Theselow-lying areas may be 10° colder atnight than surrounding areas and aresometimes called “frost pockets.” Thelighter, warm air forms “thermal belts” inareas with good air drainage. These ther-mal belts may be several degrees warmerthan surrounding areas and much warmerthan the frost pockets on a relatively stillnight; strong winds, however, will breakup this inversion layer.

Tucson Presidio establishedTucson Presidio establishedTucson Presidio establishedTucson Presidio establishedTucson Presidio established17751775177517751775

Mission San Xavier del BacMission San Xavier del BacMission San Xavier del BacMission San Xavier del BacMission San Xavier del Bac1783-17971783-17971783-17971783-17971783-1797

Mexican IndependenceMexican IndependenceMexican IndependenceMexican IndependenceMexican Independence1 8 2 11 8 2 11 8 2 11 8 2 11 8 2 1

War with MexicoWar with MexicoWar with MexicoWar with MexicoWar with Mexico18481848184818481848

Gadsden PurchaseGadsden PurchaseGadsden PurchaseGadsden PurchaseGadsden Purchase18541854185418541854

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the winter. The house was also designed totake advantage of cooling breezes withFrench doors installed throughout. Finally,a large concrete swimming pool, oneof the first private pools in Tucson, wasbuilt with an unobstructed view ofPusch Ridge (the area is now the Gar-den for Children).

Shortly before completion of thehouse, power lines were strung andOracle, a two-lane country road, waspaved. Many older Tucsonans vividlyremember visiting the property — afar distance from town in the 1940s— to swim or to pick some fruit.

The Wacks actually spent little timein Tucson. Gene Reid and Mr. Wack’s

father, Henry Wellington Wack,founder and first editor of Field andStream, acted as house-sitters. By theend of World War II the home had ex-changed hands several times, passingto the Pierpont Davises of Boston, andthen to the Wilson Campbells of Pitts-burgh. The Campbells in turn rentedit during their ownership to CliffordGoldsmith, the man responsible for thefamous radio series Henry Aldrich. Hisson, Barclay Goldsmith, remembers hisfather working on scripts in an officein today’s Exhibit House Museum Shopand entertaining notables from NewYork.

Then, in 1948, Colonel Robert Bagnell, anactive board member of the Tucson Red

Railroad arrives in TucsonRailroad arrives in TucsonRailroad arrives in TucsonRailroad arrives in TucsonRailroad arrives in Tucson18801880188018801880

UofA establishedUofA establishedUofA establishedUofA establishedUofA established18851885188518851885

Arizona StatehoodArizona StatehoodArizona StatehoodArizona StatehoodArizona Statehood1 9 1 21 9 1 21 9 1 21 9 1 21 9 1 2

first homesteads in the areafirst homesteads in the areafirst homesteads in the areafirst homesteads in the areafirst homesteads in the area1920s1920s1920s1920s1920s

Tucson airport dedicatedTucson airport dedicatedTucson airport dedicatedTucson airport dedicatedTucson airport dedicated19 2719 2719 2719 2719 27

view of the pool, looking east toward the Santa Catalinas --late 1940s or early 1950s

wooden gate leading to today’s Spanish Colonial Courtyard --late 1940s or early 1950s

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Cross and his wife Eugenia Sullivan Bagnell,both of St. Louis, bought the Wack’s 80-acreparcel. With them came their butler, LevanBell, who remembers picking grapefruit fromthe orchard and taking the family’s Airedaleto the veterinarian in town to have porcu-pine quills removed. Affectionately called“Las Palmas” during the Bagnell’s tenure, thehouse was graced with a rose garden, a grasslawn and elegant visitors dining by candle-light.

The Bagnells found other uses for the prop-erty too. Mrs. Bagnell donated a portion tothe Catholic Diocese of Tucson to serve asthe site for St. Odilia’s Catholic Church, vis-ible today to the north of the Park. In 1963Mrs. Bagnell’s son, John Sullivan, built ahome on ten acres on the western edge ofthe property. Designed by Lewis Hall, a stu-dent of noted Tucson architect Josias Joesler,the charming hacienda-style home featureda traditional zaguan and fountained courtyard.The heavy arched doorway is modeled aftera larger one that once would have admitteda horse and carriage to the privacy of a home’sinterior courtyard. Mrs. Sullivan rememberssummers spent sleeping on the roof of thebuilding to escape the heat of the day. It isnow known as the “West House” and is thesite of the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro.

Colonel Bagnell passed away in 1965, twoyears after his wife, and left the remainder ofthe property to the Sullivan family who then

moved into the empty main house (today’sExhibit House).

TTTTTHEHEHEHEHE F F F F FOUNDATIONSOUNDATIONSOUNDATIONSOUNDATIONSOUNDATIONS OFOFOFOFOF

T T T T TOHONOOHONOOHONOOHONOOHONO C C C C CHULHULHULHULHUL P P P P PARKARKARKARKARK

The story of Tohono Chul begins in 1966when its benefactors, Richard and Jean

Catalina Citrus EstatesCatalina Citrus EstatesCatalina Citrus EstatesCatalina Citrus EstatesCatalina Citrus Estates1 9 3 11 9 3 11 9 3 11 9 3 11 9 3 1

Wacks build a houseWacks build a houseWacks build a houseWacks build a houseWacks build a house19371937193719371937

BBBBBagnells purchase 80 acresagnells purchase 80 acresagnells purchase 80 acresagnells purchase 80 acresagnells purchase 80 acres19481948194819481948

Wilsons buy “West House”Wilsons buy “West House”Wilsons buy “West House”Wilsons buy “West House”Wilsons buy “West House”19661966196619661966

A FA FA FA FA FAMILYAMILYAMILYAMILYAMILY L L L L LEGACYEGACYEGACYEGACYEGACY

The concept of preservation and exhi-bition actually dates back to RichardWilson’s great, great, great-grandfatherCharles Willson Peale (1741-1827).Saddler, watchmaker, silversmith, inven-tor and student of Benjamin West, Pealewas the most prominent portraitist of theFederal period and is credited with theearliest-known portrait of George Wash-ington (1772). In 1786 he founded thePeale Museum, an institution housed inPhiladelphia’s Independence Hall, in-tended for the study of natural law andthe display of natural history and tech-nological objects. Considered to be thefirst major museum in the United States,its varied collections included Peale’spaintings, Native American artifacts andmounted specimens such as the first com-plete skeleton of an American mastodon.Thus it is appropriate for Richard andJean Wilson to perpetuate this heritagethrough Tohono Chul.

Davis-Monthan AFBDavis-Monthan AFBDavis-Monthan AFBDavis-Monthan AFBDavis-Monthan AFB1 9 4 11 9 4 11 9 4 11 9 4 11 9 4 1

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Wilson, purchased the Sullivan home andstarted piecing together patches of thedesert that would form its core — ultimatelyowning 37 of the Wack’s original 80 acres.

The son of a Texas oilman, Richard Wilsonis a geologist, trained at Yale and Stanford.With his wife Jean, he came to Tucson in1962 to teach at the University of Arizona.His roots in the Southwest go much deeper,however, for there are strong family ties tothe region, its land, its peoples and its cul-tures. Mr. Wilson’s uncle, Dr. Harold Colton,founded the Museum of Northern Arizona,Flagstaff, in 1926 as a means of displaying,documenting and preserving the NativeAmerican crafts of the region. The Museum’sfirst curator, Dr. Colton’s wife and notedpainter Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, encour-aged the Hopi and Navajo tribes to continuetheir traditional arts and to develop newstyles through the offer of exhibitions andcash prizes. Mr. Wilson’s mother, SuzanneColton Wilson, was a collector of contem-porary Southwest Native American arts.Today, 65 pieces from her collection are partof our permanent cultural collection.

In 1968 the Wilsons purchased from theSullivan family the section containing theoriginal 1937 Wack home. Though theynever lived there, the building was offeredto a succession of non-profit organizationsas a halfway house or youth residence. Itwas during the 1970s that the couple was

approached several times by developers seek-ing to purchase the land for commercial de-velopment. They always refused. Jean Wil-son told them, “I don’t want to sell the land.I don’t want it cemented over. I want to pre-serve it.” In fact, when Pima County con-demned a strip along the southern bound-ary of the property in order to widen InaRoad, Dick Wilson demanded that theymove every saguaro and replant it on theiradjacent property.

In 1979 Jean Wilson opened the HauntedBookshop on Northern Avenue along theeastern edge of the site. Once it was up andrunning, the Wilsons began planning theirnext project — a park. “At first we just wentout and put down some lime to make a pathand marked the names of some of the plantsand bushes, but then it started to snowball.”The path gradually grew into a loop trail,meandering ½ mile into the surroundingdesert. In 1980 they received a citation fromthe Tucson Audubon Society for saving thedesert greenspace and opening it to the pub-lic.

Motivated by a desire to preserve theSonoran Desert they loved, they establishedthe non-profit Foundation for the Preserva-tion of Natural Areas in the early 1980s. “Wewanted to keep something natural in themiddle of all the (surrounding) developmentso that people could come easily for a fewhours and get out of the traffic and learn

Wilsons buy Wack houseWilsons buy Wack houseWilsons buy Wack houseWilsons buy Wack houseWilsons buy Wack house19681968196819681968

Haunted Bookshop opensHaunted Bookshop opensHaunted Bookshop opensHaunted Bookshop opensHaunted Bookshop opens19791979197919791979

Tohono Chul Park dedicatedTohono Chul Park dedicatedTohono Chul Park dedicatedTohono Chul Park dedicatedTohono Chul Park dedicated19851985198519851985

Oro Valley incorporatedOro Valley incorporatedOro Valley incorporatedOro Valley incorporatedOro Valley incorporated19741974197419741974

Tea Room opensTea Room opensTea Room opensTea Room opensTea Room opens19871987198719871987

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something at the same time. It’s probablycontrary to what most people would do, butwe feel it’s real important for people to havesomething like this.” The purpose of the or-ganization was to promote the conservationof desert regions and to educate the publicabout arid lands and responsible water use.Over time, demonstration gardens, a re-cir-culating stream, a geological re-creation ofthe Santa Catalina Mountains, ramadas andareas with special plantings of arid-adaptedvegetation were developed. The Wacks’original 1937 stuccoed adobe house was care-fully renovated in 1984 to provide space forchanging art exhibits, a museum shop andadministrative offices. Tohono Chul Park wasformally dedicated as a 37-acre desert pre-serve on April 19, 1985. The Wilsonsdeeded the property to the non-profit foun-dation, Tohono Chul Park, Inc., in 1988.

In the spring of 1995 development againthreatened Tohono Chul. An 11-acre par-cel abutting the property on the north wasslated for higher density rezoning and of-fered for sale. With the help of longtimemember John Maher, the Park was able toacquire the property, establishing a memo-rial to John’s late wife, Mary in 1996.

The most recent addition came when themuch-loved Haunted Bookshop closed in1997. The Wilsons donated the land andbuilding to Tohono Chul, adding the finalacre — then there were 49!

Today, sadly, both Richard and Jean Wilsonare gone. But, their commitment to the his-tory and the open spaces of the Southwestlives on — in addition to founding TohonoChul, it is the Wilsons who delivered thefamily property at Hart Prairie (Flagstaff) andMuleshoe Ranch (Willcox) into the protec-tive hands of the Nature Conservancy.

At the dedication ceremony in 1985, Rich-ard and Jean Wilson expressed their visionfor Tohono Chul:

“We dedicate this park to those who come here, who, wehope, will not only admire and find comfort in the natu-ral beauty of the area, but will achieve greater apprecia-tion of the ways of conserving all our precious desertregion and obtain a greater understanding of the peoplenative to these areas.”

Our PresentOur PresentOur PresentOur PresentOur PresentTohono Chul has evolved into a unique ur-ban desert island devoted to fostering anappreciation of the distinctive character ofthis region. The Sonoran Desert is the mostdiverse desert of North America, with thou-sands of native plants and hundreds of spe-cies of animals making their home in this rug-ged, yet fragile, environment. Seventeenindigineous cultures live in the region, whilea confluence of others, including Anglos,Latinos, Chinese and Africans, have adoptedthis region as their own. The words “Tohono

Administration wing addedAdministration wing addedAdministration wing addedAdministration wing addedAdministration wing added1 9 9 11 9 9 11 9 9 11 9 9 11 9 9 1

Performance GardenPerformance GardenPerformance GardenPerformance GardenPerformance Garden19921992199219921992

Garden for ChildrenGarden for ChildrenGarden for ChildrenGarden for ChildrenGarden for Children19941994199419941994

Maher additionMaher additionMaher additionMaher additionMaher addition19961996199619961996

Haunted Bookshop closesHaunted Bookshop closesHaunted Bookshop closesHaunted Bookshop closesHaunted Bookshop closes19971997199719971997

15th Anniversary15th Anniversary15th Anniversary15th Anniversary15th Anniversary20002000200020002000

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Chul” mean “desert corner,” and are takenfrom the language of the Tohono O’odham,a desert-dwelling people renowned for theirmany uses of Sonoran plants and their abil-ity to live in this harsh climate.

Today Tohono Chul is a part of Oro Valleyand encompasses a total of 49 acres and re-tains much of its hacienda-style charm in theface of booming urban sprawl just beyondits boundaries. Sensitive planning and de-velopment haveallowed for en-hancements ofthe Park’s sitewhile preserv-ing its spectacu-lar natural set-ting and feelingof intimacy.The originalthree homes onthe propertyhave differentSouthwest re-gional styles andpromote a dis-tinct sense ofplace. Each hasbeen refurbished and renovated for Park usewhile retaining its regional character — theWack’s 1937 home (Exhibit House),theSullivan’s 1963 home (Tohono Chul GardenBistro) and the Wilson’s Lomaki guest house,now used for classes, meetings and rentals.

With an emphasis on the natural and culturalaspects of the desert Southwest, the site nowincludes an extensive botanical collectionwith nature trails and exhibits; wildlife mi-gration trails; the Desert Living Courtyard

featuring an array of arid-adapted plants andlow-water landscaping techniques; the Eth-nobotanical Garden with crops grown byboth indigenous populations and NewWorld immigrants; the Sonoran SeasonsGarden showcasing the five seasons of theArizona Upland; an Exhibit House featuringchanging art and cultural displays appropri-ate to our mission; and, a new Desert PalmOasis which links us to the hidden palm can-yons of Sonora, Mexico.

Tohono Chul’sextensive edu-cational pro-grams under-score andcomplementthe gardensand exhibits,while expand-ing upon themby relatingthem to thenatural his-tory, cultureand botany ofour region.

Helping people learn to live with their deserthome is the overreaching purpose of TohonoChul. The interdisciplinary approach wetake to achieve this goal reflects the rich-ness of this region’s natural environment andcultures. By teaching people about the in-terconnections between the natural environ-ment and cultural heritage we hope to in-crease their appreciation of both, so thatthey can become stewards of our preciousdesert region.

Ina Road/Paseo del Norte corner monument wall

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The “Heart”The “Heart”The “Heart”The “Heart”The “Heart”of Tohono Chulof Tohono Chulof Tohono Chulof Tohono Chulof Tohono Chul

The Entry Path Entry Path Entry Path Entry Path Entry Path just beyond Admissions Admissions Admissions Admissions Admissions andthe Entry Ramada Entry Ramada Entry Ramada Entry Ramada Entry Ramada, offers a choice of walk-ways into the Park. The right fork leads visi-tors through the Succulent GardenSucculent GardenSucculent GardenSucculent GardenSucculent Garden, an im-posing collection of plants from both sidesof the Atlantic which demonstrate the adap-tive strategy of succulence, and the Mes-Mes-Mes-Mes-Mes-quite Bosquequite Bosquequite Bosquequite Bosquequite Bosque, ultimately arriving at theOverlookOverlookOverlookOverlookOverlook which boasts amazing views of thesouthern portion of Tohono Chul.

Across from the Overlook, the Sonoran Sea-Sonoran Sea-Sonoran Sea-Sonoran Sea-Sonoran Sea-sons Gardensons Gardensons Gardensons Gardensons Garden tells the seasonal stories of theArizona Upland, one of the six subdivisionsof the Sonoran Desert and the one in which

arts & culture

we find ourselves.

The coldest region of the Sonoran Desert,the Arizona Upland is blessed with bi-an-nual rainfall — fierce summer thunderstormsand gentler winter rains. We also have fiveseasons: fall, winter, spring, dry foresummerand monsoon summer. The Garden puts thespotlight on the star plants of each of thoseseasons.

The left fork of the Entry Path will take youpast the Desert Palm OasisDesert Palm OasisDesert Palm OasisDesert Palm OasisDesert Palm Oasis. Just six hourssouth of Tucson, along the east coast of theGulf of California, pockets of native fanpalms nestle in isolated mountain canyons.The fact that palm trees grow in the SonoranDesert is evidence of the region’s tropicalorigins long ago.

Our Desert PalmOasis recreates thetropical forest ofone of thesecanyons — Cañónde Nacapule —located in theSierra El Aguajenear the town ofSan Carlos, Sonora,Mexico. Just ¾mile long andsurrounded by sheer cliffs, Nacapule hosts285 species of plants, many found in fewother places, including three species of fanpalms — Hesper Palm (Brahea brandegeei),Sonoran Palmetto (Sabal uresana) and MexicanFan Palm (Washingtonia robusta).

Nacapule and other palm canyons in theregion are delicately balanced ecosystems

RRRRREADINGEADINGEADINGEADINGEADING THETHETHETHETHE M M M M MAPAPAPAPAP

Let this guide enhance your visit to ourdesert preserve. TTTTTo orient yourself,o orient yourself,o orient yourself,o orient yourself,o orient yourself,please refer to the map on page 36 andplease refer to the map on page 36 andplease refer to the map on page 36 andplease refer to the map on page 36 andplease refer to the map on page 36 andttttto insure a safe and enjoyable visito insure a safe and enjoyable visito insure a safe and enjoyable visito insure a safe and enjoyable visito insure a safe and enjoyable visitto our desert:to our desert:to our desert:to our desert:to our desert:

wear a hat, sunscreen and comfort-able walking shoes (close-toed)don’t forget a water bottle and besure to drink lots of water when it’s hot

Roving Docents are available on thegrounds (look for the distinctive vestswith our night-blooming cereus logo onthe back) to answer your questions, oryou can join one of our regularly sched-uled tours.

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Continuing along the main pathway throughthe Cactus CircleCactus CircleCactus CircleCactus CircleCactus Circle, on your left you will seea pair of modern petroglyph-covered “news-paper” rocks by local artist John Palacio whoused Hohokam-inspired designs.

PetroglyphsPetroglyphsPetroglyphsPetroglyphsPetroglyphs are de-signs chipped intothe dark surface ofdesert boulders bypecking, scraping orgrinding. This thin,dark, hard, glossycoating that accu-mulates on rock sur-

faces after long exposure to the elements iscalled desert varnishdesert varnishdesert varnishdesert varnishdesert varnish. Designs are peckedinto the varnish, revealing the underlyinglighter colored rock beneath.

It is believed that petroglyphs are not a lan-guage like hieroglyphics; nor are they sim-ply doodles. Anthropomorphic (human-like)figures, depicted dancing or elaboratelydressed, may represent ceremonial events;others may be deities, mythical beings orshamans. It is nearly impossible to decipherthe exact meanings of any of the etchings.

Did you discover the rattlesnake encirclingthe Sundial PlazaSundial PlazaSundial PlazaSundial PlazaSundial Plaza? How about checkingyour watch against our innovative “horizon-tal heliochronometer?” A sundial tracks theapparent movement of the sun around theearth’s celestial pole by casting a shadowonto a surface marked by hour and minutelines. The gnomon (diagonal brass cable)serves as an axis about which the sun appearsto rotate. Carved of Coconino sandstoneand donated by John L. Carmichael, Jr., oursundial was designed specifically for Tucson’slatitude and longitude (Mountain StandardTime). If the appropriate number from theEquation of Time correction graph is addedor subtracted from the sundial’s reading it isaccurate to within a minute.

Shading the Plaza is acanopy of mesquitemesquitemesquitemesquitemesquite trees(Prosopis velutina), which pro-vides food, in the form ofnaturally sweet seedpods,for people and animals.The trees’ spring blossomsare visited by bees and a va-riety of birds and other insects. Cardinalsand verdins can be found nesting in thebranches. The dried wood has been used forbuilding materials for centuries. Next timeyou plan a barbecue and want to impart adistinctive mesquite flavor to your meat, trytossing a handful of dampened seedpods onthe coals instead of mesquite wood chips thatare not as renewable a resource.

At the south end of the Plaza you will seetwo of the five species of the green-barkedtrees known as palo verdepalo verdepalo verdepalo verdepalo verde (Spanish for “greenstick”) found growing in the Park. The group

heliochronometer by John Carmichael

verdinDebbie Jensen, artist

Picture Rocks sundancers,Tucson Mountains

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just south of the sundial are blue palo verdes(Cercidium floridum) distinguished by their blu-ish tone and larger leaves. Directly acrossfrom them to the east it is the foothill paloverde (Cercidium microphylum) with a yellow-green cast and tiny leaves.

The Murphey Foundation ChildrMurphey Foundation ChildrMurphey Foundation ChildrMurphey Foundation ChildrMurphey Foundation Children ’en ’en ’en ’en ’sssssRamadaRamadaRamadaRamadaRamada, gathering site for school field trips,it also houses wheelchair accessiblerestrooms and drinking fountains.

A portion of the site’s original home nowprovides space for one of the Park’s two giftshops. La GaleriaLa GaleriaLa GaleriaLa GaleriaLa Galeria specializes in traditionalNative American crafts, unique folk art of the

LLLLLIZARDSIZARDSIZARDSIZARDSIZARDS ONONONONON THETHETHETHETHE S S S S SIDEIDEIDEIDEIDE

The Plaza is also a great place for lizard-watching. The big ones that take theirtime moving out of your way are desertdesertdesertdesertdesertspiny lizarspiny lizarspiny lizarspiny lizarspiny lizards. ds. ds. ds. ds. You will find them doing“push-ups” to attract mates, to appeareven more intimidating, or just to raisethemselves off the hot ground. The slen-der ones with the very long tails arewhiptail lizarwhiptail lizarwhiptail lizarwhiptail lizarwhiptail lizardsdsdsdsds and the shy, delicateones with the black-and-white stripedtails are appropriately called zebra-tailedzebra-tailedzebra-tailedzebra-tailedzebra-tailedlizardslizardslizardslizardslizards. These little critters will run justahead of you, perch on a convenient rockand, curling it over their backs, wag theirtails like a dog. Why? Well, just in caseyou’re a predator you might be fooledinto grabbing for that detachable tail,allowing the lizard to live another day.

desert spiny lizardPaul Miller, artist

region and books on the Southwest. TohonoChul members receive a 10% discount onpurchases. Among the plantings directly infront of the Shop is the elusive boojum(Fouquieria columnaris), cousin to our local oco-tillo (F. splendens). Native to north central BajaCalifornia, these peculiar trees look some-thing like an upside-down carrot.

The Exhibit House Exhibit House Exhibit House Exhibit House Exhibit House (1937) contains two gal-leries that feature changing displays of tradi-tional and contemporary art — paintings,sculpture and folk arts. Our exhibitions alsoaddress environmental concerns affecting theSonoran Desert and the Southwest.

The North PatioNorth PatioNorth PatioNorth PatioNorth Patio, located behind the ExhibitHouse, is used for special events such as art-ists receptions. Nearby is a handbuilt rockwater feature and a bench for relaxing andwatching the local wildlife.

Administrative OfficesAdministrative OfficesAdministrative OfficesAdministrative OfficesAdministrative Offices are open Mondaythrough Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

Relax on a bench under the shade of an iron-wood tree (Olneya tesota) in the Spanish Co-Spanish Co-Spanish Co-Spanish Co-Spanish Co-lonial Courtyard lonial Courtyard lonial Courtyard lonial Courtyard lonial Courtyard and enjoy this mini-oasis.A Xeriscape® landscape incorporates a ma-jority of low water use plants while allowingfor lush plantings requiring more water closerto buildings and living spaces. These oasesprovide cooling environments where peoplegather, another illustration of wise desert liv-ing.

The Alice YAlice YAlice YAlice YAlice Y. Holsclaw Per. Holsclaw Per. Holsclaw Per. Holsclaw Per. Holsclaw Perforforforforformance Garmance Garmance Garmance Garmance Gar-----den, den, den, den, den, shaded by a grove of feathery sweet aca-cia trees (Acacia smallii), is planted with mealycup sage, butterfly bush and salvias and is agreat spot for some impromptu birdwatching.

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Humingbirds gravitate to the salvias andphainopepla can be found in the mistletoeclumps in the acacia trees. The Garden’sstage provides the setting for concerts andspecial events like our annual Holiday Nightscelebration held each winter. The gardenmay also be rented for weddings or otherceremonies.

Native American flutist Vince Redhouse performs

Not just for children, the Bank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of AmericaGarden for ChilGarden for ChilGarden for ChilGarden for ChilGarden for Childrendrendrendrendren captures imaginationsand provides opportunities for creative learn-ing and discovery. Young and old alike canenjoy the private spaces and hidden surprises— from the play-ful stream with itsfish boats to whim-sical birdhouse —and make theirown connectionswith nature.Please, for yourhealth and safety,do not bathe in,stand in or drinkfrom the water inthe stream orpools. copper saguaro and owl

WWWWWHATHATHATHATHAT’’’’’SSSSS B B B B BUGGINGUGGINGUGGINGUGGINGUGGING Y Y Y Y YOUOUOUOUOU?????

tarantulaAnne E. Gondor, artist

Be honest, most of us harbor an intensedislike for insects. Consider, however,that they may be pests only from ourpoint of view. We are both just tryingto survive, in need of food and shelter.Sometimes we may actually competewith one another for these resources, orbecome resources ourselves!

No other group of animals is as diverse,as abundant or as successful in almostevery habitat on earth. In fact,arthropods (invertebrates with seg-mented bodies and jointed limbs, includ-ing arachnids, crustaceans and insects)account for approximately 99.5% of allanimal species and yet only about 1%can really be considered pests!

The vast majority are extremely valuablefor insect products (like silk and honey),medical research, biological control,decomposition, food for other species(including man) and pollinaton.

In fact, it is estimated that 90% of allflowering plants depend on animal pol-linators to help them reproduce and thatincludes about 35% of the world’s foodcrops — consider that one bite in threeat the dinner table depends on animalpollinators and pollinator populationsaround the world are in decline due topollution, pesticides, disease and worstof all, habitat destruction.

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elevation wild foods like acorns and piñones.

SSSSSAVORYAVORYAVORYAVORYAVORY S S S S SOUTHWESTERNOUTHWESTERNOUTHWESTERNOUTHWESTERNOUTHWESTERN F F F F FAVORITESAVORITESAVORITESAVORITESAVORITES

No doubt some of the permanent plantingsin the Garden will be familiar to many gar-deners or cooks, while others may seem rela-tively exotic. These are plants utilized byNative Americans in the area, though notnecessarily cultivated by them. (The num-bers refer to the map on page 17.) Europe-ans who relished their sweet, fleshyfruits brought edible figsfigsfigsfigsfigs (1) and date palmsdate palmsdate palmsdate palmsdate palms(3) to this area from the Mediterranean. Evenin the age of synthetic dyes, Mayo dye in-Mayo dye in-Mayo dye in-Mayo dye in-Mayo dye in-digodigodigodigodigo (2) is still grown by the Mayo ofNavajoa, Sonora, for the beautiful blue dyemade from its leaves and twigs. Also calledwild rhubarb, cañigrecañigrecañigrecañigrecañigre (4) is typically foundgrowing along watercourses. The stalks ofthe leaves can be used as a substitute for tra-ditional rhubarb in making pies. The leavescan be baked or roasted for greens and theroot contains tannic acid and produces abrown dye. The fiery chiltepinchiltepinchiltepinchiltepinchiltepin (5) is con-sidered the mother of all chiles, the geneticancestor of all domesticated chiles and bellpeppers. The pea-sized red fruit may beHOT but birds relish them. Chiltepinesgrow naturally in the canyons of southernArizona and northern Mexico. The plantsin the Garden were grown from seed col-lected in the canyons of the BaboquivariMountains on the Tohono O’odham Reser-vation. ChiaChiaChiaChiaChia (6) is familiar to many for theubiquitous “chia pet” craze of a decade or soago. Actually, the seeds of the chia are highin protein and oil and when toasted andsoaked in water they become a thick, highfiber drink popular with the Pimans. Thewolfberrywolfberrywolfberrywolfberrywolfberry (7) produces large numbers of

Plants are utilized by people in many ways— as food, medicine and materials as well asa source of cultural identity. The study ofthis relationship between plants and peopleis known as ethnobotany. The Ethnobotani-Ethnobotani-Ethnobotani-Ethnobotani-Ethnobotani-cal Garden cal Garden cal Garden cal Garden cal Garden displays plants used today andin the past by the native peoples of theSouthwest. These plants may be wild, culti-vated (purposefully grown), domesticated(adapted to be more useful), or introduced(brought to the New World by Spanish orother European settlers). The emphasis inthis Garden is on plants cultivated duringthe late Span-ish Colonialperiod insouthern Ari-zona andS o n o r a ,Mexico. TheGarden servesas an educa-tional displayand a grow-out field. Let-ting our cropsgo to seed instead of being eaten replen-ishes and keeps viable supplies of valuableseeds. All the crops are varieties adapted tothe special growing conditions of this re-gion — heat, drought and alkaline soil. Be-cause of their special adaptations these an-cient crops are a major source of geneticmaterial for new varieties. The garden’splantings are rotated twice a year (summer isthe season for mostly native crops and win-ter, for crops from the Old World). Prior tothe introduction of such cool season cropsthe indigenous Hohokam and O’odhammoved into the mountains and foothills dur-ing the winter to hunt and collect higher

amaranth, sunflowers, squash andwatermelon in the summer garden

17

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small, slightly bitter, juicy berries. A favor-ite with birds and other desert critters, theberries are also collected by humans. Theedible berries of the squawbush (8), a na-tive of the Hopi mesas, are used as a colorstabilizer in dyeing wool. The twigs are usedin basket weaving and are burned as one ofthe four kiva fuels. WWWWWild cotton ild cotton ild cotton ild cotton ild cotton (9) is nearlyfiberless and there is no archaeological evi-dence that it was ever grown by the Pimansfor lint. Yet this wild shrub has been used byplant breeders to improve the lint strengthof domesticated short staple cotton, anotherexample of an apparently useless wild plantserving as a valuable resource in plantgenetics. FourFourFourFourFour-wing saltbush-wing saltbush-wing saltbush-wing saltbush-wing saltbush (10) is alsocommon around Hopi villages. It is anotherof the kiva fuels, and it is also used in makingpaho (prayer sticks) and for its ashes, whichhelp intensify the blue color of piki bread.After a summer rain the desert smells like...?Ask any longtime resident and the answer

CCCCCOMPOSTINGOMPOSTINGOMPOSTINGOMPOSTINGOMPOSTING

Yard trimmings and kitchen scraps canbe transformed into nutrients for yourplants and amendments for your soilrather than taking up space in landfills.Compost is decomposed organic mate-rial such as plants, leaves, stems and veg-etable peelings. With the help of bac-teria, fungi, or earth worms gardenersspeed up this natural process. Be carefulnot to include any animal products andleave out weedy plants whose roots andseeds could spread to your garden. Tobegin, choose a location outdoors foryour compost pile. Shred all materialinto pieces 4” or smaller. Alternate lay-ers in your pile of “wet” (green and moist)and “dry” (brown and dry) material. Makecertain you bury food waste to avoiddrawing flies. Keep the pile moist andturn it frequently to allow the oxygento penetrate. Here in the Garden wekeep an active compost pile behind thenorth gate, and over in the Desert Liv-ing Courtyard’s Utility Graden, we havea rotating bin, perfect for those with smallspaces.

visitors and volunteers join in a fall harvest

will be creosotecreosotecreosotecreosotecreosote (11), the “drugstore of thedesert.” This fragrant shrub has been usedto treat many ills, from upset stomachs toarthritis to insect bites. Its effectiveness indissolving kidney stones, as a fungicide, asan analgesic and in controlling cancer cellsis currently under study. One of the threemajor basketry materials (including yucca anddevil’s claw), bearbearbearbearbeargrassgrassgrassgrassgrass (12) is used by theTohono O’odham and other southwesterntribes to form the inner bundle (warp) ofcoiled baskets. Its leaves are dried in the

sun, then split into narrow strands and se-

19

With the disappearance of riparian areas dur-ing the last century, beargrass and yucca havereplaced the traditional, higher quality wil-low, sumac and cattail formerly used in bas-ketry. Used by indigenous peoples long be-fore early settlers moved west, Mormon teaMormon teaMormon teaMormon teaMormon tea(13) is a medicinal (diuretic) and a sippingtea. It has also been used to control aller-gies and as a decongestant. The branchesproduce a rose tan dye. BrittlebushBrittlebushBrittlebushBrittlebushBrittlebush (14) isalso known as incienso, named for the goldensap that oozes from its stems. Burned, thesap produces a fragrant incense, or it can bemade into varnish or glue. Tucsonans aremost familiar with brittlebush as the bounti-ful yellow wildflower that graces the hillsidesand roadways around the city in the spring.JojobaJojobaJojobaJojobaJojoba (15) or goatnut, occurs naturally onlyin the Sonoran Desert. Everyone has triedjojoba in shampoos or skin lotions but itsseeds also produce fine, high quality oil thatcan replace sperm whale oil in commercialapplications.

WWWWWATERATERATERATERATER H H H H HARVESTINGARVESTINGARVESTINGARVESTINGARVESTING

The underground cistern,cistern,cistern,cistern,cistern, located be-neath the date palms, is filled with rain-water collected from the roof of the Ex-hibit House. The water is used tosupplement irrigation needs for the Eth-nobotanical Garden. Water harvestingon a large scale was used to grow cropsby the indigenous peoples of the South-west. Washes and arroyos were divertedto irrigate fields in what is called ak-chinfarming. Today, homeowners can usesimple techniques when designing theirown landscapes to capture rainwater run-off that would otherwise be lost. Checkout the SIN AGUA Garden for ideas!

Living Living Living Living Living withwithwithwithwiththe Desertthe Desertthe Desertthe Desertthe Desert

Meant for the slightly more adventuresome,the Hallowell DeserHallowell DeserHallowell DeserHallowell DeserHallowell Desert Vt Vt Vt Vt View Tiew Tiew Tiew Tiew Trail rail rail rail rail meandersthrough a beautiful, relatively undisturbedquadrant of Tohono Chul. Approximately1/2 mile in length, the trail does not meetADA standards and is therefore not wheel-chair accessible but it is a favorite of birdersand those looking for the Sonoran Desert inits more natural state. Look for nature- anddesert-inspired quotes inscribed on sand-stone markers along the trail.

Love me or hate me, the desert seems to say, this iswhat I am and this is what I shall remain.

Joseph WJoseph WJoseph WJoseph WJoseph Wood Krood Krood Krood Krood Krutchutchutchutchutch

Bobcats, coyotes and javelina traverse thedry washes in this area too, and if you’re lucky,you just might see one! Along the trail youwill also find two shaded ramadas with drink-ing fountains.

Close your eyes and you might be able tovisualize the citrus trees that once occupiedthe space now covered by this Cholla ForCholla ForCholla ForCholla ForCholla For-----estestestestest. Also known as chain fruit cholla, a jump-ing cholla doesn’t really jump. Its stems,loosely attached to the plant, are denselycovered with barbed spines. Barely brush-ing against the plant can detach a whole sec-tion — making the hapless human or desertcreature jump! However, pack rats find thedetached stems perfect protective buildingblocks for their middens.

education

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cactus wrenDebbie Jensen, artist

The Cholla Forestis an excellentbird-watching spot.Keep an eye outfor cactus wrensand curve-billedthrashers who pre-fer cholla for theirnest sites. The cac-

tus wren, state bird of Arizona, builds an elon-gated, football-shaped nest with the open-ing at one end. The thrasher, on the otherhand, builds a twiggy, bowl-shaped structure.

Sin agua may be Spanish for “without water,”but it doesn’t really mean that in this case.Instead, it is the efficient and sustainable useof renewable water! The SIN AGUA GarSIN AGUA GarSIN AGUA GarSIN AGUA GarSIN AGUA Gar-----dendendendenden channels and delivers rainwater runofffrom the adjacent Education Center park-ing lot to demonstrate water harvesting andthe use of native and adapted plants in a land-scape that uses little or no supplementalgroundwater.

If you are lucky enough to visit during a rainevent, you will see how this garden “works.”Individual plots are defined by berms,contoured mounds of earth that contain ordirect the flow of surface runoff allowingsediments to settle and water to soak in.Sluice gates in the channel along thenorthern perimeter are opened manually todirect the water’s flow to the driest plots first.The slope of each plot has been calculatedto allow for surface water to flow from oneto the next. Excess runoff is directed intothe surrounding natural desert.

Assuming an annual rainfall of 12" (Tucson’saverage), the runoff yield is over 37,000

cubic feet of water – equivalent to 40" ofrainfall a year! The Garden storesapproximately 8,000 cubic feet of water atone time and it takes from 5-6 hours to anentire day for a full plot (8"-9" of water) toempty.

Rainwater harvesting captures rain and usesit close to where it falls, or stores it for futureapplication. The cheapest place to collectrainwater is in your landscape – slowing theflow of runoff to allow it to soak into theground where plants can make use of it. Theuse of harvested rainwater reduces erosionand flooding, salt accumulation in the soil,utility bills and our dependence ongroundwater.

Even the simplest methods of waterharvesting, like installing plants under thedrip line of a roof or using porous pavementmaterials, can produce immediate results.Next time it rains, watch which way thewater flows across your property. Determinewhere a berm or channel would slow the flowand spread the water out, allowing it topercolate into the ground; don’t forget toallow for extra runoff during a major storm

SIN AGUA on a rainy, winter day

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Follow the trail past the SIN AGUA Gardenand you might notice that the vegetationresembles that of the lower Rio Grande Val-ley of southern Texas and adjacent Mexico,a semi-arid land averaging about 15-20inches of rain a year. Termed TTTTTamaulipanamaulipanamaulipanamaulipanamaulipanThornscrubThornscrubThornscrubThornscrubThornscrub, the vegetation of this region ischaracterized by numerous, multi-stemmed,small-leaved, spiny shrubs; small trees; cacti;and yuccas. Compare this planting with na-tive Sonoran Desert vegetation in andaround Tucson. Some of the labeled plants,such as desert hackberry (Celtis pallida),catclaw acacia (Acacia greggii) and desertChristmas cactus (Opuntia leptocaulis) are na-tive to this area.

The Barbara Kennard Present Demonstra- Barbara Kennard Present Demonstra- Barbara Kennard Present Demonstra- Barbara Kennard Present Demonstra- Barbara Kennard Present Demonstra-tion Gardens tion Gardens tion Gardens tion Gardens tion Gardens displays appropriate landscapeplants and hardscape materials to provideideas for homeowners. The soothing soundsof flowing water are everywhere in the Gar-den; one unique water feature allows cascad-ing water to hopscotch from one strategi-cally placed pot to another down the face ofan adobe-plastered wall.

A central planter in the Demonstration Gar-dens features plants native to Centra lCentra lCentra lCentra lCentra lSonoraSonoraSonoraSonoraSonora. Many of the species are frost sensi-tive and must be protected when tempera-tures dip below freezing.

On the north side of the Gardens, situatednext to a cooling grotto is the RecognitionRecognitionRecognitionRecognitionRecognitionRamadaRamadaRamadaRamadaRamada. Handbuilt of lodge pole pine witha saguaro rib roof held in place with carvedeucalyptus wood pins, the Ramada shadeshand-painted commemorative tiles thathonor or memorialize family and friends. Adonation to Tohono Chul in someone’s namecan be used to add to this wall of memories.This peaceful section of the DemonstrationGardens is also available for wedding andother ceremonies.

Unique in all of Tucson, if not the world, isthe Geology WGeology WGeology WGeology WGeology Wallallallallall exhibit. The vision ofPark founder Richard Wilson, a Universityof Arizona geology professor, it was inspiredby the geologic formation fireplace by MaryJane Colter in the Bright Angel Lodge atthe Grand Canyon, a scale model of the ge-ology of the Canyon from rim to river.

Recognition Ramada

event with a spillway for overflow. Raisedberms can double as pathways and provideadditional planting areas for species needingless water.

Keep in mind, any collection system shouldbe large enough to hold the runoff from theheaviest storm you can expect. From a 50’ x50’ roof you can expect 18,700 gallons ofrunoff in a year (assuming 100% runoff). Asingle monsoon storm that drops 2" of rainon your house could result in 3,000 gallonsof water!

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Completed in 1989, the Park’s Wall was de-signed and built by geologist Doug Shakel,with the help of Toby Wright.

The 55-f o o ts e m i -c i r cu l a rW a l lconsistsof severalhundredr o c kspecimenscollected from more than two dozengeologic formations in the 9,000-foot SantaCatalina Mountains, visible just over the topof the Wall. Shakel and Wright spent threeyears gathering the specimens and buildingthe Wall to illustrate the geologic story ofSouthern Arizona.

The Wall in front of you represents a verticalslice of geologic time, cut through Tucson’sSanta Catalina Mountains from north tosouth. As you walk along the Geology Wallfrom left to right, you are literally strollingthrough nearly two billion years of earth’shistory. You would have to hike more than30 miles through the Catalinas to see thesame rock formations.

In general, the rocks of the Santa CatalinaMountains, and the Wall, become youngeras you continue walking south. Tucson isbuilt on the youngest rocks, displayed onthe far right; they are only 10 to 20 millionyears old. The oldest rocks, on the far left,are found north of the Catalinas near thetown of Oracle; they are about 1.8 billionyears old!

To understand the earth’s geologic lifestory, scientists use a chart called ageologic column to represent thevarious phases of the planet’sdevelopment. Starting at the bottom,the oldest time period is thePrecambrian beginning when the earthcoalesced about 4.5 billion years agoand lasting until the Paleozoic Era, 542million years ago (mya). ThePrecambrian represents about 87% ofthe earth’s history; using a familiarcalendar analogy, it began January 1 andlasted until November 18. ThePaleozoic Era, when multi-cellular lifebegan to flourish, lasted from 542 myauntil 251 mya or from November 18 toDecember 12. Next up was theMesozoic Era, known as the Age ofReptiles. It lasted from 251 mya untilabout 65 mya or from December 12 to26. We currently live in the mostrecent Era, the Cenozoic, which beganon December 26. This is the age of “newlife” when mammals came into their own;modern humans, on the other hand,have only been around since about11:48pm on December 31.

A CA CA CA CA CALENDARALENDARALENDARALENDARALENDAR FORFORFORFORFOR THETHETHETHETHE A A A A AGESGESGESGESGES

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The Propagation GreenhousePropagation GreenhousePropagation GreenhousePropagation GreenhousePropagation Greenhouse is only opento the public during our twice yearly plantsales (March and October). The rest of theyear, staff and volunteers are busy selectingand propagating little known orunderutilized native and arid-adapted land-scape plants to introduce them to local land-scape designers and the general public. Bycreating a demand for a broader palette ofappropriate water conserving plants, morespecies will become available through com-mercial nurseries and backyard landscapeswill take on an entirely new regional char-acter.

The low-walled TTTTTororororortoise Enclosurtoise Enclosurtoise Enclosurtoise Enclosurtoise Enclosureeeee is thehome of several Sonoran Desert tortoises.The largest native turtle in Arizona, theygrow continuouslythroughout theirlifetimes — adultsranging up to 13inches long andweighing 16pounds. With a lifeexpectancy of 50years or more, thereptiles are gener-ally active from April through October. Youmay have to look carefully to spot them, how-ever, since they seek the shade when it getstoo hot and will hibernate when coldweather sets in.

Desert tortoise populations have declined inrecent years due to respiratory diseases, ille-gal collections practices and changes in theirhabitat brought by development and in-creased livestock grazing. Tortoises are pro-tected by state law and it is illegal to re-move one from the wild.

desert tortoisePaul Miller, artist

You are now entering the Riparian Habitat,Riparian Habitat,Riparian Habitat,Riparian Habitat,Riparian Habitat,a re-creation of an Arizona riparian com-munity, a diverse association of plants andanimals that live on the banks of the state’srivers and streams. Our version displays someof what you might find in Sycamore Canyo,50 miles south in the Atascosa Mountains at4,000 ft.

The word ripar-ian (from theLatin ripa,meaning shoreor bank) wasonce only fa-miliar to biolo-gists and natu-ralists but in re-cent years thepublic has beenmade moreaware of the ex-traordinary im-portance ofSouthwest ri-parian communities to native wildlife. It isestimated that roughly half of all breedingbirds in the deserts and grasslands of theSouthwest nest exclusively in riparian habi-tats. Similar numbers are emerging with re-gard to the region’s amphibians, reptiles andmammals. Given the number of species de-pendent on these areas, it is astonishing tonote that riparian communities cover muchless than one percent of the region’s totalland mass!

Arizona ashArizona ashArizona ashArizona ashArizona ash (Fraxinus velutina) is often calledvelvet ash because its leaves are covered withfine hairs. In the fall the leaves turn a bril-

streamside plantings replicate desertriparian habitats

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liant yellow and light up the canyons acrossthe Southwest. Inconspicuous flowers ap-pear in the spring followed by winged fruitsthat are scattered by the wind. Arizona sy-Arizona sy-Arizona sy-Arizona sy-Arizona sy-camorecamorecamorecamorecamore (Platanus wrightii) is easy to recognizeeven in winter, when the distinctive sharp-lobed leaves have fallen, because of its beau-tiful white bark and angular branches. Sy-camores are among the hardiest of ripariantrees, resprouting readily after losing entiretrunks in floods. Their tenacious roots wraparound boulders in rocky streambeds, slow-ing erosion. Arizona black walnut Arizona black walnut Arizona black walnut Arizona black walnut Arizona black walnut (Juglansmajor) is noted for its edible fruits, and forthe fact that its name in Spanish (nogal[es]) isthe name of a well-known border town tothe south.

Canyon grapeCanyon grapeCanyon grapeCanyon grapeCanyon grape (Vitis arizonica) is a true grapeand a distant relative of Old Worldwinemaking varieties. Its small, nearly blackfruits are edible. Though not strictly a ri-parian species, hopbushhopbushhopbushhopbushhopbush (Dodonaea viscosa) alsogrows on rocky canyon slopes. Some cul-tures around the world use the winged fruitsas a substitute for hops in making beer. Otherparts of the plant are poisonous, however,and have been used to stun fish in order tocatch them.

Living in the stream itself is a population ofGila TGila TGila TGila TGila Topminnows opminnows opminnows opminnows opminnows (Poeciliopsis occidentalis),once the most abundant fish in the Gila Riverbasin of central Arizona and southwesternNew Mexico. It is now listed as an endan-gered species due to competition from aclosely related species, the mosquitofish.Loss of habitat as a result of the constructionof new dams and the over-utilization of sur-face waters has also inhibited populationgrowth. The only fish in Arizona to bear

female Gila topminnowPaul Miller, artist

male Gila topminnowPaul Miller, artist

live young, the Topminnow favors pools andslow moving waters where it feeds on aquaticplants and small animalssuch as mosquito larvaeand other small fish. Inthe fall of 1991 TohonoChul introduced thispopulation into thestream as part of a cooperative breeding pro-

gram with Arizona Gameand Fish that seeks to pre-serve species diversity anffor reintroduction to thewild.

RRRRRIPARIANIPARIANIPARIANIPARIANIPARIAN D D D D DIVERSITYIVERSITYIVERSITYIVERSITYIVERSITY

From a bird’s eye view, southern Arizona’sriparian communities appear as ribbonsof green meandering through the browndesert. Wherever water collects,whether a perennial stream at the bot-tom of a canyon or an ephemeral poolin a seasonally flooded dry arroyo, thereyou will find the kinds of trees and shrubsthat need more water than the desert canprovide.

There are many reasons for the remark-able diversity of wildlife in riparian habi-tats. The presence of abovegrounddrinking water is a magnet, however thewater available under the ground may beeven more important. It means a greaterconcentration of vegetation and plant-eating insects. Tall trees such as sy-camores, smaller trees such as mesquites,fallen tree limbs, shrubs, grasses and herbsprovide a great variety of breeding, feed-ing and escape situations, accommodat

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The Demonstration Garden Ramada Demonstration Garden Ramada Demonstration Garden Ramada Demonstration Garden Ramada Demonstration Garden Ramada offersa soothing escape from the noise and con-gestion of the surrounding city. The relax-ing sounds of running water and birdcalls pro-vide a calming backdrop for a quiet, privatemoment. The Ramada itself, with its Mexi-can tile accents and beehive fireplace, is acreative model that visitors can adapt totheir own home landscape.

Living Living Living Living Living inininininthe Desertthe Desertthe Desertthe Desertthe Desert

A number of species of prickly pear cactiare planted along the trail to the Desert Liv-ing Courtyard. Members of the genus Opun-tia, which also includes the cholla cacti,prickly pears are distinguishable from thechollas by their flattened stem sections calledpads. For this reason they are also calledPlaytopuntias. Opuntias are characterized bythe presence of clusters of easily detached,

f i n e ,b a r b e ds p i n e sknown asglochids.S o m ep r i c k l yp e a rc a c t isuch asb u n n years andbeave r-

tail are exclusively covered with glochids,giving them a soft look. Anyone having hadthe misfortune to encounter one up closewill warn you that appearances can be de-ceiving!

Peak bloom time is April-May when plantsfeature lemon yellow to pink to red flowers.The young pads of the cactus, called nopales,can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Highin calcium and vitamin C, the fleshy fruits,called tunas, are very sweet and juicy. Gath-ered in late summer the reddish-purple fruitis cleaned of its spines and eaten fresh, or

stewardship

harvesting prickly pear fruit with wah’o(saguaro rib tongs)

ing a diversity of animal lifestyles. Ri-parian communities are also importantcorridors for the movement of wildlifethrough the surrounding deserts.

Gallery forests of Arizona willows andFremont cottonwoods once lined thebanks of many valley-bottom rivers andstreams, but no longer. Their reproduc-tion is an example of the sensitivity ofmany riparian species to ecologicalchange. Both trees release cottony seedsin the spring. To sprout, the seeds mustfall on moist sandbars recently exposedby receding waters. Man-made dams fre-quently degrade downstream ripariancommunities by changing seasonalstreamflow patterns.

Urbanization, falling water tables, over-grazing by cattle and a changing climatehave all contributed to the degradationand loss of riparian communities through-out Arizona. Today no more than 10%of Arizona’s riparian habitats exist in any-thing resembling their original condi-tions. Those that remain are among themost precious treasures in Arizona’s natu-ral heritage.

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the juice is strained for making jellies, cool-ing drinks or sorbet. The ripe fruits also pro-duce a soft pink dye. The natural pectin inthe fruits has been helpful in controlling dia-betes. By the way, that red or purple tingethat may appear on some opuntias is a sign ofstress due to cold or drought.

jumping chollaDebbie Jensen, artist

Cholla cacti Cholla cacti Cholla cacti Cholla cacti Cholla cacti (pronounced CHOY-ya), closerelatives of the prickly pear, differ by havingcylindrical, tubercle-covered stems --Cylindropuntia. There are about 45 species ofchollas distributed from the Southwest tocentral Mexico. They are well representedin the Sonoran Desert with six species be-ing native to Tohono Chul. Chollas rangein size from low mat-forming types to 15-foot trees. They include such plants as thenot-so-cuddly teddy bear and the infamousjumping cholla. Chollas and prickly pearsgrow easily from detached stems. Chollaspines are covered with papery sheaths, of-ten showy and bright, contributing to theplant’s overall coloration. These protectivespines are probably the reason these cactiare favorite nesting sites for cactus wrens andcurve-billed thrashers.

In March, after a long winter without freshfood, the Tohono O’odham look forward tospring and readily harvest the first availablegreen vegetable, the cholla. Picked beforethey bloom, the buds of the cholla cactusare rich in calcium — one tablespoonful is

DDDDDESERTESERTESERTESERTESERT C C C C CLIMATELIMATELIMATELIMATELIMATE

Deserts, and the vast areas of arid grass-lands and scrublands that often borderthem, cover about 30% of the earth’s landarea. A desert is defined as a region thatreceives less than 10 inches of rain peryear. However, climate, soil, topogra-phy and vegetation are all consideredwhen defining a region. Arid climateshave at least one thing in common -- therate at which moisture evaporates (evapo-transpiration) exceeds rainfall (precipi-tation). Evapotranspiration is the totalwater loss from an area, through evapo-ration from the soil and through transpi-ration of water vapor from plants. Hightemperatures, low humidity and windincrease the rate of evapotranspiration.Many plants that are not adapted to aridenvironments wilt and die on a hot, dry,windy day, even if growing in good, con-tinuously damp soil.

A number of factors or combination offactors can produce a desert. The world’sgreat deserts occur in the horse latitudes(about 30° north and south of the equa-tor) and are sometimes called trade windor subtropical deserts. The deserts ofMexico and the Southwest United Statesare found at this latitude.

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equivalent to eight ounces of milk! Harvestedwith tongs made of saguaro ribs (wah’o), thebuds are cleaned of their spines and thencooked. They can be eaten as a vegetable,added to salads, soups or stews, or sun driedand stored for future use. The flowers, whenthey open, range from yellow to green, rustto bronze and orange to magenta. Jumpingcholla blooms each year, but seldom sets vi-able seed. Instead, it develops chains offruit that eventually fall off and form newplants — thus its other common name, chainfruit cholla.

The Cargi l l andCargi l l andCargi l l andCargi l l andCargi l l andBradley FamiliesBradley FamiliesBradley FamiliesBradley FamiliesBradley FamiliesDesert Liv ingDesert Liv ingDesert Liv ingDesert Liv ingDesert Liv ingCourtyardCourtyardCourtyardCourtyardCourtyard presentsvisitors with consci-entious alternativesto use when choos-ing to “gardenwhere we live.” TheCourtyard offershomeowners newand creative ideas

for using water-conserving plants in livablelandscapes, combing color, texture and func-tion to provide take-home ideas for outdoorliving spaces that can be easily reproduced.

Divided into ten distinct garden vignettes,areas of the Courtyard feature differentsouthwest regional themes, from cacti, suc-culents and annuals in colorful pots, to a“natural” landscape that attracts native wild-life. We also recreated garden styles fromother places with similar climates, such as theMoorish gardens of old Spain or the color-ful outdoor living spaces of Mexico.

BarBarBarBarBarrio Garrio Garrio Garrio Garrio Gardendendendenden — a small gardener’s gardenreflecting a traditional sense of place wherefamily heritage guides the growing of plantsthat nurture both body and spirit.

Container GardenContainer GardenContainer GardenContainer GardenContainer Garden — suits the homeownerand plant lover with limited space, wherecontainers provide alternatives to in-groundplantings.

Moorish GardenMoorish GardenMoorish GardenMoorish GardenMoorish Garden —reflects the sensualtranquility of a shadedgarden where ceramictiles and wall stencilingreference traditionalelements of desertgardens from Spainand overcome thelimitations of long dryseasons when plants are not in bloom.

Xeriscape™ Garden Xeriscape™ Garden Xeriscape™ Garden Xeriscape™ Garden Xeriscape™ Garden — demonstrates theclassic “zone” principles of oasis, transition,and dry/desert by blending the space intothe surrounding landscapes.

WWWWWildlife Garildlife Garildlife Garildlife Garildlife Gardendendendenden — a riparian habitat in arocky canyon incorporates a “natural” waterfeature that is home to a growing populationof endangered native fish, and a variety ofplant species attractive to a diversity ofwildlife.

Dry Shade GardenDry Shade GardenDry Shade GardenDry Shade GardenDry Shade Garden — the most challengingof gardens to design where many nativeplants actually thrive in full sun.

WWWWWinter/Summer Garinter/Summer Garinter/Summer Garinter/Summer Garinter/Summer Gardendendendenden — plants thatbloom in either of Tucson’s most extreme

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Desert PupfishDesert PupfishDesert PupfishDesert PupfishDesert Pupfish

Thriving in the pond in the WildlifeGarden is another native fish, theDesert Pupfish( C y p r i n o d o nmacularis). Nativeto Arizona, BajaCalifornia andSonora, Mexico,and the SaltonSea area of California, the Pupfish is anendangered species. Once common,it has been preyed upon and out-com-peted by non-native baitfish releasedinto its desert riparian habitats. Thesefish are also part of a captive breedingprogram to help save the population ofPupfish indigenous to QuitoboquitoSprings in Organ Pipe National Monu-ment.

The Desert Pupfish is capable of with-standing extreme temperature changes,making it perfectly adapted for desertpools. An omnivore, they consumeaquatic plant life and tiny marine crea-tures. In captivity its favorite food isbrine shrimp but it will also eat mos-quito larvae and other small insects.During the spring and summer you caneasily spot the males in the school; theyare an iridescent turquoise color. Thefemales and young are a non-descriptbrown with light bands that camouflagethem in the weeds. Females lay theireggs in territories established by themales. Following spawning, the eggsare deposited on the bottom with nofurther parental care.

male pupfishPaul Miller, artist

In the lobby of the Desert Discovery Edu-Desert Discovery Edu-Desert Discovery Edu-Desert Discovery Edu-Desert Discovery Edu-cation Center cation Center cation Center cation Center cation Center is the WWWWWells Farells Farells Farells Farells Fargo Foyer Gal-go Foyer Gal-go Foyer Gal-go Foyer Gal-go Foyer Gal-lerlerlerlerleryyyyy, a small gallery space that featureslongterm exhibits focusing on themes suchas edible and useful plants of the desert orTohono Chul’s history. Classes, workshopsand volunteer training is held in the Center’sclassrooms, the largest of which can berented for private meetings and retreats.

seasons – the cold of winter or the heat ofsummer.

Meditation GardenMeditation GardenMeditation GardenMeditation GardenMeditation Garden — inspired by thesimplicity of a Zen garden, demonstrates thateven a tiny space can become a peacefulrefuge.

Outdoor Living GardenOutdoor Living GardenOutdoor Living GardenOutdoor Living GardenOutdoor Living Garden — combinesarchitecture and plants to create an informal,comfortable and adaptable sense of place thatis inviting for year-round outdoor familyliving. Creative design decisions canintroduce shade, cooling, privacy, and evenpassive water harvesting to a typical tracthome.

Last but not least, theUti l i ty GardenUti l i ty GardenUti l i ty GardenUti l i ty GardenUti l i ty Garden —d e m o n s t r a t e sgardening basics fromtool storage tocomposting and fromlow tech waterharvesting to a kitchengarden in a cattle tank.In any given garden,

there will be spaces that are less than invitingto plants; these are the spots to consider forutility needs.

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To the left of the gate from the Desert Liv-ing Courtyard, you will find our collectionof Agaves Agaves Agaves Agaves Agaves which can best be described aslow-growing rosettes of succulent, ever-green, toothed leaves. Over 130 species

occur from theSouthwest UnitedStates to Mexico,Central Americaand the Caribbean(12 species are na-tive to Arizona,more than anyother state). Aga-ves range in sizefrom the six-inchrosettes of Agaveparviflora to ten-foothigh “centuryplants” that canproduce a 25-foottall flower stalk atthe end of its life-time. The nick-name “centuryplant” comes fromthe mistaken beliefthat agaves require100 years tobloom. Actually,

they are multi-annuals requiring seven to 45years to mature and flower, depending onthe species and growing conditions. Resem-bling an asparagus, the flower stalks of largeragaves can grow as much as one foot per day.Most agaves die after flowering. Besidesseed, most species produce offsets or pupsand some grow plantlets called bulbils ontheir flower stalks. This habit of floweringonly once is a feature that distinguishes aga-ves from their relatives: yuccas, beargrass, so-

agave americanaDebbie Jensen, artist

tols and hesperaloes. You can see these rela-tives throughout the grounds. The variedsizes, forms and blue-green to gray shadesof agaves provide many creative opportuni-ties for landscape use.

Agaves have been used extensively for food,fiber and medicines by the indigenouspeoples of Mesoamerica for at least 9,000years. Agave was cultivated by many tribesfor its edible heart. Prior to flowering theplant was trimmed of its leaves, much like anartichoke, and the leaf base and stem (calleda cabeza) was pit roasted and then eaten — astarchy, sweet and nutritious, somewhatfibrous food. Many of us are familiar withagave sap known variously as aguamiel (fresh),pulque (fermented) and mescal or tequila (dis-tilled). Traditionally, leaf fiber was used forcordage, nets, basketry, mats, sandals andclothing. Today it is commercially harvestedand labeled as sisal. Be careful when han-dling cut leaves: the sap of the leaves cancause contact dermatitis and other allergicreactions.

Along a side trail are planted South Ameri-can cacti known as TTTTTrichocerrichocerrichocerrichocerrichocereuseuseuseuseus, and someclose relatives. These plants are noted fortheir magnificent, colorful, over-sized flow-ers that frequently appear en masse. Unlikethe native night-blooming cereus (Peniocereusgreggii), they may bloom more than once dur-ing a season. The first heavy bloom gener-ally occurs in mid-April and scattered flow-ering can be enjoyed until the end of warmweather in October. The wire cages andshrub branches on top of certain plants areto protect the cacti from hungry wildlife.The branches provide relief from the intensedesert sun.

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Next up you will pass various species ofyuccayuccayuccayuccayucca, close relatives of agaves. Severaldozen species of yucca range from the south-ern United States through Mexico and theWest Indies. Yuccas vary in size from small,stemless rosettes to 30-foot high plants suchas the famous Joshua Tree of southern Cali-fornia deserts. The beautiful, perfumed whiteflower masses are striking, especially whenwhole groves of the plants flower at the sametime. The flowers close and droop duringthe day, opening and turning upward at nightfor pollination by a variety of nocturnal crea-tures.

DDDDDESERTESERTESERTESERTESERT S S S S SYMBIOSISYMBIOSISYMBIOSISYMBIOSISYMBIOSIS

Incapable of self-pollination, a numberof yucca species are pollinated by thetiny yucca moth — pronuba. This is anexample of a plant and an animal linkedin a symbiotic relationship. The femalemoth mates and then begins collectingpollen from several flowers’ stamens. Shethen carries this pollen ball to succes-sive yucca flowers, stopping to lay hereggs deep in the pistil (female portionof the bloom) and then fill its tip with aportion of the pollen that she carries.As the new seeds develop, so do the lar-vae that feed on a few of the growingseeds. Once mature, they bore throughthe seedpod and drop by silken threadsto the ground. The larvae burrow be-neath the soil and spin a cocoon to awaitthe next spring when they will emergeand begin the cycle again.

yucca elataDebbie Jensen,artist

Yuccas are very useful plants — from theblade-like leaves, fiber can be extracted tomake cord. The leaves themselves are usedby several tribes in weaving traditional bas-kets — as green or white stitching fibers andfor reddish brown accents (yucca roots). Theroots of the soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) givethe plant its name because when poundedand boiled they create a foamy, cleansinglather used for soap and shampoo. Yuccasare also a source of food. In early spring the

tender young flower stalk can be baked andeaten, while the white flowers appearing inMay can be eaten fresh or cooked. Yuccabaccata produces fleshy, edible fruits resem-bling a banana, hence its common name,banana yucca.

The hedgehog cactus hedgehog cactus hedgehog cactus hedgehog cactus hedgehog cactus is a member of thegenus Echinocereus. There are approximatelyfifty species of hedgehogs distributed fromthe southern Plains States and the Southwestto central Mexico. They grow as solitarystems or in clusters of up to 500 stems. Anumber of hedgehogs are quite hardy to cold.One variety of claret cup hedgehog(Echinocereus triglochidiatus) grows at altitudes ofup to 10,000 feet. Many hedgehogs are es-

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pecially showy when in flower (April) andoften a single plant will have dozens of bril-liant magenta or red flowers open at the sametime. Colors can range from pink to yellowand even green, brown and white. Thespines of some species are a display in them-selves. The golden hedgehog (Echinocereusengelmannii var. nicholii) has long yellow spines,while the Arizona rainbow (E. pectinatus var.rigidissimus) has multi-colored bands of spinesringing the stem. The fruit of many hedge-hogs is small but edible.

The Cactus/Succulent RamadaCactus/Succulent RamadaCactus/Succulent RamadaCactus/Succulent RamadaCactus/Succulent Ramada displays anumber of smaller and more delicate cactiand other succulents. This is an opportu-nity to compare and contrast a few of thethousands of succulents that occur worldwidewith the varieties found in the SonoranDesert. Many of these plants have evolvedsimilar strategies to cope with the commonproblems of obtaining and storing water inarid environments.

The area next to the Ramada has been plantedwith specimens indigenous to Baja Cali-fornia. They include organ pipe cactus,senita, creeping devil, elephant trees,kidneywood and palo brea.

Barrel cactiBarrel cactiBarrel cactiBarrel cactiBarrel cacti generally refer to members ofthe genera Ferocactus and Echinocactus, are na-tive from the southwestern United States toMexico. Barrels range in size from smallplants like Ferocactus fordii (6” diameter) to mas-sive plants such as F. diguetii (14’ tall, 3’ thick).Most barrel cacti bloom with a showy ringof yellow, orange or red flowers in late sum-mer. F. recurvus, just west of the Cactus/Suc-culent Ramada, has purple flowers in winterand spring. The crown of pineapple-shaped

fishhook barrel cactusDebbie Jensen, artist

yellow fruitsthat follow inthe fall are ed-ible, with acitrusy taste.Peeled fruitscan be madeinto jellies ormarmalades.The tinyblack seedsare high inprotein andoil. Fishhook barrel (F. wislizenii) has hookedspines that have been used for fishing. His-torically, other barrel spines served as needlesor awls.

Contrary to popular myth, barrel cacti arenot a ready source of water in the desert.You cannot cut off the top and find a pool ofclear, cold water ready to drink. The sap ofthe barrel is an unpalatable, bitter, milky liq-uid more likely to give you a bellyache. Abarrel cactus can make a reasonably effec-tive living compass however. Almost alllarger plants will lean toward the southwest.It is noteworthy that similar cacti in theSouthern Hemisphere tend to lean to thenorthwest.

And as you walk through this area of the Park,take a closer look at the landscape. You arecrossing the access road that once led fromIna Road to the main house. In March 1984we undertook a long-term project to reveg-reveg-reveg-reveg-reveg-etateetateetateetateetate the road and return it to a natural state.The eroded and compacted soil was brokenup with a tractor and the surface was thensmoothed with a hand roller. Species of cacti

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native to the site were planted in natural den-sities and rocks and gravel were spread onthe surface. Seeds of native trees and shrubswere planted. Dead tree limbs and driedbrush were scattered about to help reduceerosion, provide protection for germinatingseedlings and eventually to form humus forthe soil. The road was then thoroughly wa-tered to settle the soil and help establish thecacti. After more than 15 years the road hastaken on a more natural appearance thoughits contours are still visible to those who knowto look for them. But without any effort atrevegetation it would have remained a per-manent scar on the landscape. This is anexcellent example of just how fragile desertenvironments are and yet how they can berestored with care and time.

The shady Pincushion RamadaPincushion RamadaPincushion RamadaPincushion RamadaPincushion Ramada is a welcomerespite from the sun on a hot summer day.The rock planter is home to a number of pin-cushion cacti of the genus Mammillaria. Atleast 150 species and many varieties rangefrom the southwestern United States to Co-lumbia and Venezuela, while the greatestconcentrations are found in central Mexico.The fishhook pincushion (Mammillariamicrocarpa) is common in the desert aroundTucson and several other species grow innearby areas. Most pincushions are favor-ites of collectors and are prized for theirbeautifully varied, fascinating forms and theexquisite flowers that ring the tops of theirstems with crowns of color. Pincushionsrange in size from tiny plants barely one inchacross, to large clustering masses such as M.compressa that can grow to three or four feetacross and contain more than 500 stems. Pin-cushions will usually seek the shelter of a nurseplant, a desert shrub like triangle leaf bursage

or brittlebush that provides protection frompredators and the elements. Many of thesesmall cacti would die if exposed to the fullintensity of the sun.

The South Loop TSouth Loop TSouth Loop TSouth Loop TSouth Loop Trailrailrailrailrail is not wheelchair ac-cessible. It is approximately 1/5 mile in itsentirety and is a pleasant walk throughwashes, up a slight incline and past indig-enous vegetation.

The South WSouth WSouth WSouth WSouth Wash ash ash ash ash just off the trail is an ex-ample of a desert arroyo. This streambed isnormally dry, except immediately after astorm. Rainfall drains off the surroundinghigher ground and flows, sometimes quiterapidly, through the channel. This extrawater percolates into the adjacent soil andallows trees and shrubs to grow larger thanthose on upland sites. Desert wildlife is fre-quently concentrated in wash areas such asthis because of greater cover, cooler tem-peratures and more available food.

saguaroDebbie Jensen, artist

One of Tohono Chul’sobjectives is to illustratefor visitors theinterconnectedness be-tween the plants andpeople of the SonoranDesert. In no other in-stance is this more evi-dent than in the con-nection between thesaguaro cactus (hahshani)and the TohonoO’odham people. ThePochter Saguaro Dis-Pochter Saguaro Dis-Pochter Saguaro Dis-Pochter Saguaro Dis-Pochter Saguaro Dis-covercovercovercovercovery Ty Ty Ty Ty Trailrailrailrailrail tells thestory of the cactus

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through its cultural significance to theO’odham and its botanical connections tothe natural history of the desert.

One of the “signature” plants of the SonoranDesert, the saguaro has served as an icon ofthe Southwest since botanist George Engel-mann described it in 1848. Yet many mythsand misconceptions persist about its longev-ity, its appearance and its uses. Interpretivesignage along the trail depicts the O’odhamorigin story of the saguaro, traditionalhavesting and preparation methods and thepost-harvest wine ceremonies leading to thebeginning of the summer monsoon. In addi-tion, there are panels featuring some amaz-ing facts about saguaro adaptations, growthpatterns and relationships to other plants andanimals in the desert.

For example, noticehow many juvenilesaguaros are clusteredbelow some of thepalo verde “nurse”trees. These treesare popular birdroosts and saguaro

seeds are dispersed via animal droppings —birds, bats and even javelina and pack ratsfind saguaro fruit quite tasty. The tree pro-vides the young seedlings protection fromthe intense sun in summer and reduces frostdamage in winter, thus creating an ideal habi-tat. As the saguaros mature, the tree thatprotected them in their youth will frequentlynot survive, the saguaros having absorbedmost of the available rainfall.

Now look at the large number of small tomedium saguaros around you, fanning out

across the desert. In the Tucson area, theheaviest stands of saguaro occur on warmersouth-facing slopes where frost is less injuri-ous and there is a longer growing season.And, don’t forget to look for the large,crested (cristate) saguaro at the top of thehill. Transplanted from an expanding sandand gravel operation, the cactus is an ex-ample of genetic mutation. No one is quitesure why some specimens develop these odd-looking growth patterns, which may form atthe growing tip of the central stem, or fromone of the arms.

saguaro fruitDebbie Jensen, artist

The WWWWWest House est House est House est House est House (1963) is a charming haci-enda-style home with its traditional zaguanand fountained courtyard. The heavy archeddoorway is modeled after a larger one thatonce would have admitted a horse and car-riage to the privacy of a home’s interior court-yard. Today, the building hosts our LaLaLaLaLaFuente Museum ShopFuente Museum ShopFuente Museum ShopFuente Museum ShopFuente Museum Shop and the TTTTTohono Chulohono Chulohono Chulohono Chulohono ChulGarden BistroGarden BistroGarden BistroGarden BistroGarden Bistro. This Museum Shop featuresthe work of contemporary local artists alongwith regional cookbooks and spicy South-west food items. The Bistro is open dailyfor breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, serv-ing indoors or in the inviting ambience ofthe interior courtyard or rear patios. It may

al fresco dining on the patio

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be rented after hours for special occasionssuch as weddings, anniversaries and parties.

The WWWWWilson Roomilson Roomilson Roomilson Roomilson Room, located on the north-west corner of the West House, is used foroverflow seating from the Bistro and specialevents. It too may be rented for private func-tions.

AAAAANNNNN A A A A AVIARYVIARYVIARYVIARYVIARY W W W W WITHOUTITHOUTITHOUTITHOUTITHOUT W W W W WALLSALLSALLSALLSALLS

More than 27 species of birds can befound on the Park grounds or in the skiesoverhead. There are easily seen resi-dents, like cactus wrenscactus wrenscactus wrenscactus wrenscactus wrens and curve-billedcurve-billedcurve-billedcurve-billedcurve-billedthrashersthrashersthrashersthrashersthrashers; and flashy neotropical mi-grants like WWWWWilson’ilson’ilson’ilson’ilson’s warblers warblers warblers warblers warbler and rrrrrufousufousufousufousufoushummingbirdhummingbirdhummingbirdhummingbirdhummingbird. Birds that breed in theUnited States and Canada, but winter inMexico and further south, are termedneotropical migratory birds. The skyislands and riparian corridors of thedesert Southwest provide these long-dis-tance travelers with cool, moist rest stopsin an otherwise arid landscape.

When walking the grounds, keep an eyeout for courting male roadrunnersroadrunnersroadrunnersroadrunnersroadrunners withlizard offerings sure to entice potentialmates. Do you hear the call of a maleGambel’Gambel’Gambel’Gambel’Gambel’s quail s quail s quail s quail s quail — chi-ca-go-go — tryingto keep his family together?

Do you recognize the so-called blackcardinal – phainopeplaphainopeplaphainopeplaphainopeplaphainopepla? How about thecardinal look-alike pyrrhuloxiapyrrhuloxiapyrrhuloxiapyrrhuloxiapyrrhuloxia? If youare a birder, whether newly fledged orprecocial, join one of our regular birdingtours for an introduction to our “aviarywithout walls.”

Accessible from theback patio of the Gar-den Bistro or from LaEntrada Greenhouse,the Hummingbird Hummingbird Hummingbird Hummingbird HummingbirdGarden Garden Garden Garden Garden is landscapedwith a variety of plantsattractive to humming-birds. These mostly

native species include salvias, penstemons,agaves, honeysuckle, aloes, desert willow,red bird-of-paradise and hummingbird trum-pet. The Garden is regularly visited byAnna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, by black-chinned in the spring and summer breedingseason and by broad-billed and rufous hum-mingbirds during their migratory passages.The colorful handpainted tiles will help youidentify them.

black-chinned hummingbirdDebbie Jensen, artist

La Entrada Greenhouse and Garden ShopLa Entrada Greenhouse and Garden ShopLa Entrada Greenhouse and Garden ShopLa Entrada Greenhouse and Garden ShopLa Entrada Greenhouse and Garden Shophas something for every plant enthusiast fromthe casual weekend gardener to the dedi-cated do-it-yourself landscaper, and membersenjoy a 10% discount! Helpful staff and vol-unteers are on hand to answer your plantquestions. A selection of hardy native andarid-adapted plants are available for sale,along with an assortment of books on gar-dening and plant identification. Bi-annualplant sales (March and October) are held inthe Propagation Greenhouse (22) and fea-ture an expanded selection of landscape

trees, shrubs and specimen cacti and succu-lents. And in July, local growers and dealersjoin us for a special Monsoon Madness sale.

Lomaki HouseLomaki HouseLomaki HouseLomaki HouseLomaki House, built in the late 1960s as aguesthouse by founders Richard and JeanWilson, is available for rent by the publicfor private functions such as meetings, wed-dings and receptions.

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Our FutureOur FutureOur FutureOur FutureOur FutureWhile the preservation of this49-acre parcel of SonoranDesert is an admirable goal, itis not Tohono Chul’s sole rea-

son for being. Certainly the site is a placeto be cherished — a place where people cancome to find peace and inspiration in a placeof beauty. However, the Park’s site is also atool, an agent for change, where people cangain knowledge of the natural and culturalheritage of this region. The challenge weface is to find a balance between providingfor increasing visitation while protecting theenvironment our members and visitors havecome to enjoy.

In 2001 we implemented a new Master Planwhich addressed the needs of our commu-nity and constituents. Enhanced visitor ser-vices included easier accessibility, ADA up-grades, interpretive signage, lighting, ex-panded parking areas and public restrooms.Programming services were improved withthe additions of the Desert Discovery Edu-cation Center (classrooms), Desert LivingCourtyard (demonstration landscapes) anda new and expanded retail Greenhouse. Thenew SIN AGUA Garden and Desert LivingCourtyard replaced former parking lots,repurposing bladed and compacted sites withinteresting gardens that underscore the ben-efits of sustainable gardening.

Behind the scenes we renovated/expandedareas for plant propagation and conservation,constructed a new operations shop, built newand upgraded storage for our permanent ar-tifact collections and a conservation/prepa-ration area for the production of our chang-ing indoor exhibits.

innovation

Leading off the South Loop Trail, theSaguaro Discovery Trail was developed in2004 with sensitive and minimal environ-mental impact among existing stands of cacti.In 2009 we approaced the northern 19 acresof the grounds the same way, with discreteenhancements such shade ramadas and drink-ing fountains along the improved DesertView Trail. In the “heart” of Tohono Chul,2010’s Sonoran Season Garden, replacing theformer main parking lot, tells the seasonalstories of the Arizona Upland.

Moving beyond that millennial plan, in 2013we added the Desert Palm Oasis with its na-tive, but oh, so exotic looking Sonoran palmtrees. These new exhibits, along with a newEntry Path and Succulent Garden thatopened in 2014, allow visitors to learn aboutthe natural and cultural heritage of this re-gion and provides them with an enrichingexperience of the wonders of the SonoranDesert.

MMMMMEMBERSHIPEMBERSHIPEMBERSHIPEMBERSHIPEMBERSHIP ANDANDANDANDAND S S S S SUPPORTUPPORTUPPORTUPPORTUPPORT

Thank you for visiting Tohono Chul. Weare pleased to be able to provide residentsand visitors alike with this opportunity tolearn about and experience the SonoranDesert.

If you enjoyed your visit, and believe as wedo that it is a special place, then we ask youto consider becoming a member. It is onlythrough people like you that we are able tocontinue to protect and preserve this desertoasis for residents and visitors alike.

For information on memberships,contact theAdministrative Offices at 742-6455 orcdimit@tohonochul.org.

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