Gabriel

Cardon = thistle, I believe. Are there a great many thistles in this park or does the name derive from something else?
Fine shot!

Nice shot!
Andy -- old latin "carduus" meaning thistle for a very long time transformed in many nations languages to mean special differentiated sorts of thorny plants.
In german, a "karde" is a teasel for example, and only a teasel -- all other thistles are a "distel".
"Cardoon" in english however is an euphmism for artichokes, or better an old word for some decorative artichoke varieties popular in victorian gardens I think.
I am quite sure in regular spanish as spoken in spain "cardo" is part of the name of many plants with pointy ends of all sorts having read enough multilingual interpretive signs in the Donana and on the Canares of a Cardo this and a Cardillo that..., but I'd be open to Argentinians having developed that rootword yet differently. ;o)
Can't wait for Gabriel's "Cardones" that where found worthy to give a name to a national park. They sure must be 'someting special !!!

Sonja, Gabriel,
Many thanks to you both!
I was aware of cardoons and artichokes, and am interested to learn of other thistelly connections! The etymology of these things always fascinates me. Interested to to see the cactus shots, thank you Gabriel.

Oh, some sort of handsome saguaro-like looking cactus!

Now that's pointy as they can possibly come, however not much related to a thistle -- unless you are a spanish explorer without botanical education but with a few of those spikes in your bum of course.... no wonder such a guy would name the new dangerous plant a really big thistle whilst cursing it ;o)