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Cactus Gardening
All cactus plants are succulents, but not all succulents are cactus plants. Being able to tell the difference is one of the concerns in the cactus gardening section. Other questions to be asked and answered include the specifics of a cactus plant's adaptability, environmental impact, growing conditions, harmful stresses, native habitats, propagation methods, and value for people and wildlife.
918 Questions
What is the evolution of a barrel cactus?
The barrel cactus plant [Echinocactus and Ferocactus spp] is evolved from herbaceous plants. The typical herbaceous plant has underground roots for anchorage and storage. It has above ground shoots for budding, flowering, fruiting, and photosynthesizing with sunlight for energizing starches and sugars.
The evolution of the barrel cactus diverges from the typical herbaceous, green plant. Instead, it takes on special body parts and functions, because of its extreme, harsh environment. For example, the barrel cactus needs to conserve energy and water in its bright, dry, hot environment. It therefore moves, processes, and stores all water, nutrient solutions, and energizing photosynthetic products above ground. The barrel cactus is capable of this evolutionary adaptation by changes to stems. For example, it greatly expands and thickens the typical herbaceous plant's slender stem.
Another important evolutionary adaptation draws upon changes to leaves. It does the reverse in terms of modifying the typical herbaceous plant's leaves. On the cactus, leaves are modified into pencil or hair thin thorns, spines, spikes, quills, prongs, needles, or bristles. The smaller, thinner surface controls water loss. It also directs any available moisture - be it dew, fog, or rainfall - to the ground. Once in the soil, the moisture adds to the water content or is taken up by roots.
How do you water coral cactus?
Water it like any other plant but to help it stand a better Chance of surviving keep it at about room temp and i would suggest giving it plant food as well so give it nutrition.
Do mini cacti grow into huge cacti?
It just depends on the genus/species, but if you bought a cactus from a home improvement store and it was small it will grow to be large depending on the genus/species. Most of the cacti sold at home improvement stores are cacti that grow to be large.
Yes, cactus spines are living parts of the cactus plant. They owe their existence to growth buds on the plant's surface. From the growth buds also come a cactus plant's flowers.
How do you grow epiphyllum oxypetalum?
I have had one of these since about 1960, when I brought one back from Singapore as a teenager. They are very easy to propagate from cuttings, and seem to be almost indestructible. I grow mine in normal potting compost both on the window sill in the house and in the conservatory. Water sparingly during the winter and every week or so in the summer. Very occasionally I feed mine with tomato fertilizer. I have never tried one outside, but I am sure they would not stand low temperatures.
Ideally, I think they would like a humid environment, but they seem to be able to withstand most conditions and even neglect.
I live in the UK.
Keith
Can cactus plants survive without stomata?
No, a cactus can't survive without stomata. Each stoma is a breathing pore whose opening is controlled on both sides by guard cells. The pores are the points of gas exchange between the cactus and the outside world. For example, the pores release oxygen, for the purification of the environment; and take in carbon dioxide, for the plant's all important photosynthetic interaction with sunlight. So the stomata control what gets into and out of the plant's stem. The point therefore is to minimize inside water losses and maximize what's needed from the outside for making energizing photosynthetic products.
How do cactus plants look fully grown?
The look of a fully grown cactus depends upon the particular cactus. For example, jumping cactus [Cylindropuntia fulgida] sheds its perilous spines once it's fully grown and heading into old age. In the way of another example, old man cactus [Cephalocereus senilisand Oreocereus spp] becomes enveloped in a downy beard from its fine, long, soft, white outer spines. As yet another example, the giant saguaro cactus [Carnegiea gigantea] finds its towering columnar profile enhanced with branching arms once fully grown.
Are cactus plants used for making buildings?
Yes, cactus plants are used for making buildings. For example, the giant saguaro cactus [Carnegiea gigantea] has a lot of body parts to offer from its mature height of 40 feet/12 meters. Indeed, the cactus is the source for the renowned roof of the historic Catholic Mission San Xavier del Bac of the Santa Cruz valley near Tucson, Arizona.
What Type of plant is a cactus?
The cactus is more likely to be a very tall weed not tree even though most people consider it to be a tree.
From 17wolf359:
A cactus is a succulent plant. As the saying goes, "all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti". A succulent plant either stores water in it's roots, stem, or leaves. Cacti store water in their stems (and sometimes in their roots). Generally speaking, cacti do not have leaves (with only a couple of exceptions out of thousands of species). Cactus range in size from button size to massive trees weighing many tons.
In evolutionary terms, cacti are some of the most advanced plants on the planet, mostly because of the "areole". The areole is the part of a cactus that spines come from. The areole also produces branches and flowers and is exclusive to cacti. The cactus is also originally a "new world" plant, which is where it evolved. One species of cactus did make it to Africa, most likely spread there by birds. Cacti live in deserts and jungles, on the equator and as far north as Canada (and as far south as Patagonia).
Cacti have now naturalized in many parts of the world because of man and in some places like South Africa and Australia have become weeds.
A cactus is a xerophyte. It's a type of plant that takes in very little water and lives in a dry habitat.
How is temperature a limiting factor for cactus plants?
Temperature is a limiting factor for cactus plants, in terms of extremes of heat and cold. For example, desert cactus plants are used to a hot, dry climate. But temperatures may be so high that the available water evaporates.
It particularly is the other extreme, of chilling temperatures, that may be fatal for a cactus. Cold may leave a cactus with a range of problems from stem tip damage to actual stem collapse. Cactus plants that are exposed to excess cold or dampness are prone to rot, which softens and blackens tissue.
Cactus Country can be found in Australia, located on the Murray River at Strathmerton, Victoria
Why is a cactus a fleshy water filled body in the dry hot desert?
The insides of all plant tissues are fleshy. The cactus is particularly so, because of its adaptation to its native environment. Its native environments are the deserts and jungles of Latin and North America.
In terms of the desert, a cactus needs to hold onto every drop of moisture that its roots get hold of. Once inside, everything is done to keep water and its solutions and related products inside. So the inside is thick and fleshy, to keep water from evaporating through the stem. The breathing pores, or stomata, are controlled by guard cells that approve the entry of gases and disapprove the exit of water. And the entire internal contents are encased in the stem's thick outer covering that is equally hostile to the loss of water and watery products and solutions.
Does a cactus have milk or water in it?
milk is produced only by mamals.
thus, although it may look "milky", it is mainly water
How do saguaro cactus plants help desert animals?
A saguaro cactus [Carnegiea gigantea] helps desert animals by serving as a landmark in an otherwise monotonous desert environment. It helps by providing shade with the substantial shadows cast by its towering height and branching arms. It helps by offering drink and food through its colorful, edible, juicy fruits. It helps by giving jobs to pollinators, seeds to birds and rodents for wide area dispersion, and shelter to nesting birds. It helps by contributing to air purificationby taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. It helps by aerating the ground through the passageways that its spreading, shallow, fibrous roots create through the soil.
What do the pleated structures on a saguaro cactus do?
The pleated structures on a giant saguaro [Carnegiea gigantea] allow the plant to increase or decrease in size. This contraction or expansion is necessary in terms of the cactus' interior contents. The stem moves, processes and stores water, nutrient solutions, and energizing photosynthetic products. Greater amounts need more space, lesser amounts less. It's one more way in which the cactus adapts, survives, and succeeds in extreme, harsh desert environments.
Is the thick outer layer an adaptation that helps a cactus reproduce?
No, the thick outer layer of a cactus doesn't help a cactus reproduce. Its main purpose is the prevention of evaporation or water loss from the cactus' inside contents of water, nutrient solutions, and energizing photosynthetic products. Instead, the most common forms of reproduction among cactus plants tend to be by their seeds, their jointed parts falling off and rooting, or their baby offsets.
Can a cactus live in a terrarium?
Yes, a cactus can live in a terrarium. A cactus is a survivor that adapts to a wide range of conditions. What it handles poorly are cold and dampness. So one of the smaller cactus plants should have no problems with a terrarium life style as long as coldness and dampness are controlled.
What cactus plant blooms only during Christmas time?
The plant known as the Christmas cactus as it can be grown to flower around Christmas is Schlumbergia , it was called Zygocactus until recently.
A Christmas Cactus....Zygocactus - The Red is beautiful and quite festive.
Are cactus plants in Big Bend country?
Yes, cactus plants are found in the part of Texas called Big Bend country. In fact, the area falls within the Chihuahuan Desert, which is considered an unusually species rich biome. For example, one-fourth of all of the 1,500 known cactus species are found in the Desert. In fact, some are found nowhere else.
Unfortunately, the unique status and appeals of Big Bend country and the Chihuahuan Desert welcome some unwelcome attention. Specifically, cactus rustlers are finding it very profitable to steal and sell Big Bend area plants to cactus buyers in Arizona, California, and Nevada.
When can you replant cactus plants?
A cactus tends not to need replanting if its location in the ground meets appropriate levels of heat, light, and moisture. But it does need replanting when it's in a container. Usually, repotting needs to be done every couple of years. A cactus plant likes a tight fit in a container. So it needs a distance of ½ inch/1 centimeter between it and its container's rims and sides. But whether repotting from container to container, or replanting, the activity tends to be done best with other fall activities. This gives the cactus plant time to get established before the winter cold sets in.
How many parts do cactus plants have?
The cactus has two main parts. One is found underground, with the roots. The other is found above ground, with the shoots. The shoots are represented by the stem, modified leaves, growth buds, fruits, fruity seeds, and flowers.
How did the Christmas cactus get its name?
The name "Christmas cactus" was given because the plant normally blooms in late fall or early winter, just before Christmas. In addition its leaves are a deep green color while its flowers are a reddish purple, similar to the traditional Christmas colors of red and green.
When can the prickly pear fruit be eaten?
The fruit of the prickly pear cactus [Opuntia spp] needs to be eaten fresh. The fruit may be harvested late summer to early fall. Fruit colors range from green to purple or red. But the darker colors indicate a less agreeable fruit flavor.
