Skip to main content
Access to this video is a benefit for members through PBS Passport.

Up Next

Tehuacán: A Spanish Legacy

Tehuacán: A Spanish Legacy

Season 13 Episode 7
26:12
Oaxaca: Footsteps in Tradition

Oaxaca: Footsteps in Tradition

Season 13 Episode 8
26:13
Shadows of the Ancients

Shadows of the Ancients

Season 13 Episode 9
26:14
Visiting Ancient Mayo Lands

Visiting Ancient Mayo Lands

Season 13 Episode 10
26:14
Baja Journeys: Volcanoes/Oceans

Baja Journeys: Volcanoes/Oceans

Season 13 Episode 11
26:14
Baja People: Oases/Mountains

Baja People: Oases/Mountains

Season 13 Episode 12
26:14
Baja Boojums: Bizarre Plants

Baja Boojums: Bizarre Plants

Season 13 Episode 13
26:14
The Driest Desert in the World

The Driest Desert in the World

Season 14 Episode 1401
26:14
Ancient Andean Civilizations

Ancient Andean Civilizations

Season 14 Episode 1402
26:14
People and Their Prickly Plants

People and Their Prickly Plants

Season 14 Episode 1403
26:14
The Lost Palm Weavers of Sonora

The Lost Palm Weavers of Sonora

Season 14 Episode 1404
26:14
Monumental Dunes

Monumental Dunes

Season 14 Episode 1405
26:14
Back to Show
The Desert Speaks

Cactus Capital of the World

Season 13 Episode 6

Villages in the Valle de Tehuacán and nearby Oaxaca have endured for centuries in a desert environment. One of the staples of this environment was and still is the cactus, which formed the basis for their material culture. Today eighteen species of columnar cacti grow in the valley (as opposed to three in Arizona, eight in Sonora), all of them used one way or another by native peoples.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
Birds in the Sonoran Desert
28:03
Find out how migratory and resident species use riparian areas.
Stingers, Fangs and Needles
28:09
plants, animals and insects in the Sonoran Desert which use poisons.
Science and the Sonoran Desert
28:10
explore the value of research on desert insects in a program devoted to desert research.
Lions and Lizards and Ants, Oh My!
27:58
Learn more about the habits and lifestyles of desert animals, including mountain lions and
Adventures in the Desert
28:12
Explore recreational uses of the desert
Desert Sand Dunes
28:40
Examine the geography and dynamics of the shifting desert sands.
Saguaro: King of the Cactus
28:08
A look at the history and life cycle of the Saguaro cactus.
The People of Baja
27:53
Desert Speaks explores the Baja Peninsula.
The Natural History of the Baja
28:00
Explore the natural history of the Peninsula of Baja California.
Desert Grasslands
27:52
Discover fascinating facts about what lives camouflaged by the gently blowing grasses.
Season 3, Episode 7: Environmental Education
27:44
There’s always something new to learn about the Sonoran Desert.
Season 3, Episode 6: Restoring Desert Rivers
27:51
The new science of “restoration ecology.”
Active loading indicator