Photographer: Giovanni Simeone
Code: PBC503610
DESCRIPTION
The Cardon Cactus (Pachycereus pringlei), practically endemic to Baja California, is the largest cactus, with some plants reaching heights close to 20 meters and weighing up to 10 tonnes! Many of these plants in Baja California have likely surpassed 250 years of age, and after about 100 years, the trunk begins to lignify. However, precise dating of the plant is difficult as there are no rings inside the stem, and the number of arms depends more on wind exposure (more wind = more arms for balance) than on the age of the plant.
The numerous grooves on the trunk create shade, facilitating moisture condensation in the early morning hours, providing the plant with valuable liquid intake. Birds and bats are responsible for pollinating the flowers. Holes dug into the trunk by woodpeckers are often seen, which are frequently used as shelters by other birds, iguanas, and desert mice. In Mexico, the Cardon is considered a "National Monument," and cutting and selling it are prohibited.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Giovanni Simeone
Born in 1968 and the son of an artist, Giovanni Simeone studied photography in Milan, where he began contributing to Bell’Italia magazine from its very first issue. In the early 1990s, he moved to Germany to work for a photo agency, then spent nearly three years traveling the world before settling in Paris.
There, he started an exclusive collaboration with Le Figaro, producing more than fifty feature stories. During frequent trips back to Italy, he founded Simephoto (www.simephoto.com), a photography agency specializing in travel and landscape imagery. Thirty years later, Simephoto brings together around fifty of Europe’s top photographers and is recognized as a leading agency in the field.
Its portfolio includes clients such as National Geographic Traveler, Le Figaro, Outside, Geo Germany, Stern, la Repubblica, The Sunday Times and The Guardian, as well as major international publishers including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and Fodor’s.
In 2011, Simephoto launched its own publishing house, Simebooks, with photography at the heart of every project. As an author, Giovanni Simeone has published Not Food for Old Men (2015) and Los Angeles Cocktails (2017). Forthcoming titles include Baja California Peninsula (as photo editor) and Los Angeles (2025).
Simebooks releases about a dozen new titles each year, with a strong focus on promoting local culture and landscapes through unique, original photographic campaigns.