William Peachey is a geologist with a scientific passion for saguaros. An independent scientist, he’s got his hands and brain in multiple projects, one of which is a long-term study of saguaro blooms. In early June, I accompanied him to the plot where he’s been counting saguaro blooms every season since 1997 to understand more about this sentinel plant, its reproduction, and its role as a food source for countless desert species. Here’s an account of our field trip.