Can you live without a cactus?

Answer 1

Yes, people can live without cactus plants if they're outside the plant's native range in North and Latin America. But no, they can't live without cactus plants if they're within the plants' native ranges. Within desert and jungle America, the cactus plays a key role in the environment. For example, the desert cactus is the main vegetative cover that conserves water, disperses sunlight, holds soil together, and provides color and oxygen in an otherwise drab, dry, extreme, harsh environment. The jungle cactus interacts in mutually beneficial ways with the trees on which it's anchored.