What adaptations has a cactus made to survive within its environment?

Answer 1

The old man cactus [Cephalocereus senilis] is found in subtropical and tropical Mexico. It adds blue green color to Mexican seashores and mountains. It's a steady growing cactus that slowly reaches an adult height of 50 feet/15 meters within its 200+ year life span. That's in the wild. But in cultivation, they rarely get any taller than 3 feet/90 centimeters.

The old man cactus is known for its long, silky spines that may provide a beard like cover to the upper stem. It also is known for its beautiful, yellow, white or pink blossoms that flower briefly at night. But an audience has to wait until the cactus is at least 20 years old before seeing such a spectacular night show of color and smell.

Answer 2

The old man cactus [Cephalocereus senilis] survives in a bright, dry, hot environment because of its adapted body parts. Its thickened outer stemmoves, processes, and stores nutrient solutions and photosynthetic products. The responsibility for storage tends to be taken up by the roots in many plants. But the cactus plants of the desert save on energy by having above ground all that's needed for the energizing food making interaction of photosynthesis with sunlight. Its spreading, shallow, fibrous roots anchor the plant in the ground, hold the soil together, and take in dissolved nutrients and water. Its modified leaves are in the form of long hairs to protect the stem from predators and the excesses of desert heat and light. The hairs also direct any moisture - in the form of dew, fog, or rainfall - to the ground, for adding to soil moisture levels and for intake by the plant's roots.

Answer 3

Its white colour which reflects a small portion of the sun's rays. Also when it is raining it absorbs most of the water that hits it.