The Crested Saguaro Society (CSS) Information

We are trying to use the documentation of measurements that the National Register of Big Trees and the Arizona Register of Big Trees publish.

Big tree has an excellent guide to the overall bragging rights for the champion saguaro.

We have not found a good way to measure the mutant part of these special saguaros for mutant bragging rights.

1,) Crested heads & Cristated Arm saguaro's, so we are measuring the crest-height, crest-width and crest-thickness only at this time for crest-"bragging rights". We are still using the big tree measurements for saguaro total points and adding the crest measurement points for the largest overall crested saguaro. Most crests are not close to the ground so we are not using the crest-circumference measurement part taken at 4.5 feet from ground level. Be nice if we could use crest-circumference at the crest-level, but don't want to damage these beautiful saguaro's using a ladder or even think about hiking many miles caring a tall ladder.

1a.) Multiple crested heads and multiple cristate arms, measurements same as above but have not made a decision yet as it would seem that two or more crests on a saguaro should be more points than a single crest/cristate on a saguaro, but then should two small crest count more than one large crest. Probably have to use crest point totals to determine that?

2.) "Y" or rabbit ear saguaro's, are measuring the "Y" part only and doing the length of each arm and the distance between arm tips for longest arm and widest "Y" saguaro. We are adding these measurement points to the regular big tree measurements for overall largest "Y" saguaro
2b.) Multiple "Y" or rabbit ear saguaro's, measurement same as (2.) above but multiple "Y's", "YvY" (3Y), "YyYyY" (5Y) or even (more-Y's) measurement point totals has not been determined yet. Does an adjacent or shared "Y" arm get counted twice?

Probably split them all out into multiple categories something like Widest, Tallest, Thickest, Pretty, Ugliest, Weirdest, Most "Y's", Most crests, etc. Maybe have a bragging rights page?

Naming credits goes with the Big Tree guidelines but we have many and need help with naming these. Maybe have a naming contest to get rid of my default names.

I have been using default names for one's that do not give me a name. My default name caries part of each group such as First part of default name is type:

CR=CRested saguaro
CA=Cristate Arm
Y="Y" or rabbit ears and or Splits
O=other types not covered above

Next part caries the state 2 letters

AZ=Arizona
CA=California
NV=Nevada

Third part has 2 letter county

CO=Cochise
GR=Graham
MA=Maricopa
PM=Pima (can't use second letter here)
PN=Pinal
YA=Yavapai
YU=Yuma

Last part of default name is the numerical number of saguaro type in that county.

Examples:
CRAZPM200 = 200th CRested saguaro in Pima County, Az
CAAZPN015 = 15th Cristated Arm saguaro in Pinal county, Az
YNVCL001 = First "Y" saguaro in Clark County, Nevada
OAZMAOO5 = 5th Other saguaro in Maricopa County, Az

Hope this explains some things, but could bring up more questions.