Bloomipedia
Organ pipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi)
Photo: Tayton Alvis via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Organ pipe cactus

Stenocereus thurberi

Native to Arizona

Organ pipe cactus is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

1states
2,047AZ sightings*
2,048U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arizona

Quick look

Stenocereus thurberi, the organ pipe cactus, is a species of cactus native to Mexico and the United States. The species is found in rocky desert. Two subspecies are recognized based on their distribution and height. The Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is named for the species. Cacti are minimally adapted to particular thermal niches, and are tremendously vulnerable to seasonal precipitation.

  • It belongs to the Cactaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 1 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Arizona. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 2,047 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #45 among the 109 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist

Organ pipe cactus gift ideas

Handmade organ pipe cactus gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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    Organ pipe cactus art print

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    Organ pipe cactus embroidery pattern

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (11 records)

There are only a handful of Arizona flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Arizona
Salvage restricted On Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025): salvage restricted (permit needed to remove). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: it's on Arizona's rare plant list (salvage restricted). AAC R3-3 App. A

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records organ pipe cactus in 1 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Maricopa, Pima, Pinal.

More Arizona flowers

Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)

Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea

★ AZ state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in AZ: April–June
California barrel cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus)

California barrel cactus

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Native

🌼 Blooms in AZ: March–September
Fishhook barrel cactus (Ferocactus wislizeni)

Fishhook barrel cactus

Ferocactus wislizeni

Native

🌼 Blooms in AZ: July–October

Sources