The Cactus... All You Ever Needed To Know

The Cactus Family

Cacti and other similar plant species make up the group of Succulents. This term refers to the fact that the plant is able to retain and store water in their leaves and stem tissue. Cactus was the origin of the name for the family of Cacti (Cacti's scientific name is Cactaceae) . Cactaceae includes around 200 genera and 14,000 species have been recognized although only about 2,000 are known really well.

The Origins Of The Succulents

Cacti are Americans. If Cacti species are found growing on any other continent today it is because they have been introduced, so they do not occur naturally outside of the Americas. They are found from Canada all the way down to the tip of South America. They grow along the coastlines and all the way up to the Andes Mountains. Cacti are able to survive inhumane conditions and are extremely adaptable to all habitats and weather conditions. Most of these Cacti occur in southern U.S.A., Mexico, Peru, Bolivia and northern Chile.

Cactus... What are they?

The Cactus is the master of variability. Cacti have secured their survival any many harsh places all over the globe. All plants need to day to ensure survival to some extent is to have water. The Cactus has covered this aspect as they can store water for a long period of time. The roots of each specie of Cactus are different as they have to cope with different conditions and terrain. 

  • Large, Turnip shaped roots are a good place for the cactus to store their water.  This root is found in the Cactus that inhabit rocky desert areas.

  • A widely spread root system, occurring just below the surface, shows that the Cactus finds its home in sandy, and flat deserts.

  • Epiphytes are characterized by a heart-shape root configuration.

  • Climbing Cactus have aerial roots.    

The body and flesh of a Cactus is a natural water retaining tank. Their epidermis (Top layer of skin) is very tough so therefore loses little moisture through evapouration. Flowers might show-up on the Cactus after some 2 or 3 years, while some species of Cactus never bare flowers in their lifetime. This is the reason that human nurtured Cacti don't often grow flowers or it takes them longer than usual. Pollination in Cactus species occurs by the transfer of pollen grains from the Anthers to the Stigma.

More Exciting Information On The Cactus

  • Areoles ... These are woody cushions of spines at the tips of the warts or tubercles . Flowers and offsets grow out of these Areoles.

  • Offsets ... New shoots that come out of the Areoles and Axils.

  • Axils ... Depressions between the warts and tubercles. Axils often have hair or wool in possession.

  • Bundles of Vascular Tissue ... These are the foundations of every Cactus body and run vertically through the entire Cacti body. They are made up of tough fibres which take water nutrients from the roots to the growth zone.

  • Lateral Vascular Tissue ... This branches off from the main bundle of vascular tissue and supplies the shoots and flowers at the Areoles and Axils with water and nutrients. 

You have to care for these plants extremely well in order for them to thrive.