1-26: I have discovered who initiates the intimacy of the close relations I have spoken of. Not surprisingly, it is the cactus; out of the millions of seeds cast to their fates every year only a small minority germinate and grow. Those with the good fortune to land adjacent to a bush, tree, or even tall grass ((called nurse-plants by the desert botanists) have a clear advantage over others: shade, disguise, and enriched soil. The cost is having to share rainwater as it becomes available, but seemingly the benefits are worth it. I don’t know what the established plant gets other than close companionship, although it is known that forest trees happily share resources and show other signs of community engagement, so who knows but what the Palo Verde that shelters the Saguaro is not pleased to be of service. As I walk about I’m sure I see more healthy co-mingled pairs than unhealthy ones so there’s plenty of evidence that the union works. I know I repeat myself, but I am touched by the relationships and would wish to share in them. Honoring will have to do.
Photo by Allison Astorga on Unsplash
