The Joshua Tree seems to grow on the California side of the desert but can also be found in Arizona and Utah.
While the Saguaro seems to grow on the Arizona side. Rarely do you see the two trees in the same area but there are a few "strays" in California.
It's as if the Colorado River has drawn a demarcation line "saying" it's impossible to cross over to the other side.
Both have National parks in their honor. We did not visit either of those parks this time, but we have in the past. 
As you drive along the road, you see some Joshuas propped up with wooden braces. It's nice to have friends! The Joshua is top heavy, even though it has a deep root structure. It's hard to tell the age of a Joshua as it's a type of yucca and as such, does not have "tree rings" to count. They can live for hundred of years, making them desert survivors.
The Saguaro is probably the best know of the two trees. I'm guessing if you say the word "cactus" to most folks, they will picture a Saguaro. The Saguaro can live 150-200 years and get to be 30 feet tall. Most Saguaro develop the distinctive arms and can grow as many as 25 of them...but strangely, some saguaros never develop arms and no one knows why.
Whenever we are in the southwest desert, I like looking at the distinctive shapes of these two trees and marvel how they can survive in such a harsh environment.
Fun fact: The scientific name for the Saguaro is Carnegia Gigantica in honor of Andrew Carnegie.
Fun Fact: The Mormons named the Joshua tree after the biblical figure. They saw the limbs stretched on high leading them westward just like Joshua led folks to Canaan.
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