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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
Do cacti have a good or bad effect on the environment?
Cacti have a good effect on the environment. They serve as vegetation and ground cover in hostile environments. They thereby work against the developmental woes of erosion and compaction. Their shoots, roots and fruits provide food and shelter for such a diverse wildlife population as birds, bugs, insects, and mammals. They make life easier for humans, by the use of their body parts as human drink and food, and for buildings and tools. They give jobs to pollinators. Through their needles, they direct rainfall down to the ground surface, and then into the soil, for use by the soil food web and by plant roots. They aerate the ground with their roots opening up passageways through the soil. They add beauty to harsh landscapes with their unusual forms and brightly colored flowers.
What fungus remover can be used on an agave cactus?
A systemic fungicide may be used on cactus and succulents such as agave (Agave spp).
Specifically, a copper sulfate solution traditionally has been used. But nowadays it tends not to be a recommended control. Copper tends to accumulate in the soil and be toxic to plants.
A cactus plant began its evolutionary path as a stereotypical herbaceous plant. For example, it had a slender stem, and larger and wider leaves. But its extreme, harsh environment demanded changes for survival. For example, the cactus developed a thick skin to minimize sun damage and water loss. It developed a spreading, shallow, fibrous root system to seek out and capture available soil moisture. It developed thinner leaves to direct water away from evaporation prone leaf surfaces. It took the job of storing internal contents away from the roots, and gave it to the stem. It took the job of regulating the entry and exit of gases away from the leaves, and likewise gave it to the stem. As a result, the cactus evolved into the extreme environment's dominant contender and key player.
If you get stuck by an agave cactus what happens?
All I know is it hurts for a while. The toxin's in the plant linger in the area of the puncture. My daughter was stuck recently on the ankle and if she moves her foot/ankle in a certain way she screams out in pain...a pain that lasts quite a while. We are still unsure of how to deal with this pain or what we can do to make it better for her , also how long it will take before she is free of this pain. If you have any answers please let us know?!
Succulents are beautiful plants that come in a variety of shapes. They typically tend to be easy to maintain. As they are a cousin to cacti, they need lots of sunlight and are very forgiving if you forget to water them.
What is on the outside of a cactus stem?
The outside of the cactus stem is covered with a thickened outer skin that may be glossy, leathery or waxy. The skin protects the cactus from excess water loss through evaporation. It also serves to deflect and disperse light, through its ribbing. The ribbing also allows the stem to contract or expand to accommodate more or less amounts of water. The skin is a source for growth, through its growth buds. From the buds grow the branches, modified leaves, fruits, flowers, and seeds.
How do you thicken a Euphorbia trigona?
Applying fertilizers, checking growing conditions, pruning, and re-potting are ways to encourage thickening in Euphorbia trigona.
Specifically, the succulent plant in question also goes by the common names African milk tree and cathedral plant, in reference to its church spire-like growth pattern. It is natural for a cathedral cactus to show thick inward- and outward-branching growth. An African milk tree that has thin branches and stems probably suffers from problems with the care or the container.
Care issues include over- or under-exposure to light, moisture and nutrients. A heat/light concern is solved by changing the orientation or the position of the plant within the room. A moisture issue needs to be addressed by checking drainage since the soil always must be slightly moist and never permitted to dry out or waterlog. A nutrient problem requires a low-nitrogen fertilizer since this particular euphorbia's growth depends more upon phosphorus, potassium and trace elements than upon nitrogen.
Can I Force My Cactus To Bloom If So How?
I believe you can, but I'm no expert. When I look at the conditions needed for certain cacti to flower, I think the same conditions can be obtain in a control environment; such as with a (homemade) grow box. For example, Christmas cactus flower around thancksgiving and Christmas because of the cooler temperatures and shorter days. A timer can achieve lets say13hours of night and 11 hrs day. I have some Xmas cacti but I never tried...
The cactus is not just one organism it's two the the root stalk is triangular shaped and is called a dragon fruit vine and if the ball part from the top of the cactus dies that stalk will grow and it will produce a huge flower about one foot wide and if it gets pollinators it will become a beautiful pink fruit :)
Which cactus plants are used for medicinal purposes?
One cactus that has medicinal value is the peyote cactus [Lophophora williamsii]. It has been used to treat asthma and rheumatism. Another is the night flowering queen of the night [Selenicereus grandiflorus]. Its blooms are used in medicinal preparations that improve blood circulation.
What non living factors affect cactus growth?
One non living factor that affects cactus growth is slow draining soil. A cactus plant prefers free draining soil that holds some moisture. It doesn't tolerate waterlogging. Another non living factor is the level of heat, light, and moisture. A cactus plant likes high heat in the desert and jungle, high light and low moisture in the desert, and low light and high moisture in the jungle.
What animal or insect eats a barrel cactus?
many animals eat barrel cactus such as burrowing owls, badgers, ants, rodents, and humans. the barrel cactus is also known to get up to 11 feet tall and weight more then the average man. it has spines that are 3-4 inches and it's nectar is deadly to bats.
How much water does a huge cactus hold?
It depends upon how huge the cactus is. But generally, a huge cactus can fill more than 90% of its insides with water, nutrient solutions, and energizing photosynthetic products. More than 90% of its parts is devoted to moving, processing, and storing water. In fact, both figures hold true, be the cactus among the hugest or the smallest.
No, the Arizona cactus wren [Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus] isn't endangered or threatened in its native range. As a songbird, it's protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty. But such protection doesn't mean that its populations are in trouble. Indeed, it's a year round resident of Arizona. Its populations also may be found in the southwestern states of California, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.
What happens to cactus flowers?
Cactus flowers tend not to be long blooming. Some cactus plants have night flowering blooms. Others have day flowering blossoms. Either way, the flowers need to be pollinated. Once pollinated, the flowers wither and develop the ovary. From the ovary develops the fruit, which produces cactus seeds. The seeds may be used by the cactus to feed the available wildlife and to reproduce.
What parts of a cactus are used to precipitate bacteria and ions and particles?
The below ground parts of a cactus are used to precipitate bacteria, ions, and particles. To precipitate means to remove. That removal is done by the cells in the roots. The result is the release of exudates, or waste products, into the soil to feed the soil food web. Soil food web members include bacteria, fungi, microbes, and protozoa.
Does in cactus plant food is prepared in stem?
yes.but only 3 times a year(spring, mid summer,autum) .any high nitrogen liquid plant food.dilute as per instruction on your bottle of choice,water plant.
if plant has been in same pot of soil for years without feeding,then change soil first.
Where do cactus plants store starch?
Cactus plants use their stems for storage. So that's where starches are stored. In fact, stems are where a cactus plant stores everything. Other, non cactus plants may use their roots for storage. But cactus roots are much too fibrous and shallow.
What does cactus milk consist of?
Cactus milk is the sap that can be seen when there's damage to the stems of succulents such as milkweed or spurge [Euphorbia spp]. Its white is the color of milk. But it more correctly is called latex. Whatever the terminology, it's a skin irritant that can cause blindness.
What does a cactus plant use for making shelter?
A cactus plant tends to dominate its environment, particularly if that habitat is the desert. In such a bright, dry, hot niche, the cactus tends to be the main form of vegetation. Any other vegetation tends to be the understory to the cactus, and not the other way around, except in the jungle.
So a cactus plant tends to use its own body parts as its shelter. The main sheltering body part is the thickened stem to move, process and store nutrient solutions and photosynthetic products. Another is the modified leaf in the form of thorns, spines, spikes, quills, prongs, needles, hairs or bristles. The modified leaf protects the plant from predators.
Why does a cactus have a hollow stem?
cactus have a hollow stem. it is where they store water and food for survival
How tall can a Living Stone plant grow?
Living stones or Lithops are succulents which generally don't grow very tall at all. They resemble pebbles or small rocks and even when they bloom at maturity, they are not more than 2 inches in height.
