Our story

Saguaro: Sentinel of Arizona's Sonoran Desert

The saguaro is the largest cactus in the U.S., commonly reaching 40 feet in height. For centuries, the saguaro has provided both food and shelter for a variety of desert species and plays an integral role in the culture of the Southwest. They have been called the Sentinel of the Southwest, standing guard and keeping watch. Here at Jacy & Dakota's, we celebrate their importance in our history and culture.

Deep in the Sonoran Desert, just outside Tucson, lived two Saguaro cacti.

Living about 60 feet apart for the first 75 years of their lives, the shorter cacti would shout out, "Good Morning! Going to be a beautiful day, don't you think?" as the sun rose from the Eastern horizon to start each day.  And each morning, the taller cacti would reply, "Why, yes, I think it's going to be beautiful today, my friend."

Over the years, the cacti shared stories of clumsy coyotes, tales of staving off cactus wren from pecking holes in their trunk, and descriptions of their beautiful flowers that bloom in May and June.  Surviving through the driest of heats, the harshest of lightning storms and the wettest of monsoon seasons, the cacti grew, and so, too, did their friendship.

To celebrate the deep-routed friendship of these cacti, we here at the Westin Phoenix carefully relocated them to our restaurant, where they now live just 12 feet apart, allowing them to grow even closer.  With most Saguaro cacti living about 150 years, they have another 75 years ahead of them in which their friendship can blossom.

Now that they're able to whisper, rather than yell, on cool mornings, when it's quiet and there's a soft breeze blowing, you can still hear the words that formed a life-long friendship.

"Good morning. Going to be beautiful today, don't you think?"

And that is the story of Jacy and Dakota, whose names translate to "Beautiful" (Jacy) and "Friend" (Dakota).  We hope you enjoy the natural beauty and elegance of these adored native cacti, and we hope you celebrate, cherish and foster your own beautiful friendships amidst their company.