Why is the Saguaro cactus important to Arizona?

The Saguaro cactus (Saguaro Cacti) is a very rare type of cacti that only grows in the Sonoran Desert, which southern Arizona is part of.  The Saguaro, can easily live a few hundred years as it takes about 50-75 years just to grow one arm.  Due to new construction in Arizona, a Saguaro interfering with the location of a building must be transplanted and cannot be destroyed.  The destruction of a Saguaro cactus is a class-4 felony.