Feature

Published May 18, 2013

The hardy cactus

The cactus is a hardy plant and is found in sandy regions. Although sand is not favourably fertile for lush plant life, it is cactus-friendly. The cactus plant thrives well in it. It is a remarkable plant and manages to survive long periods of no rain. They have thick skins and spines to discourage animals that might
consume them for the moisture stored inside. Although painfully prickly to onlookers and avid gardeners, spines help the cactus in several ways. The most obvious use of the spines is for protection against foragers. In some cactus varieties the spines participate in water collection. Water from dew condenses on spines and, and they help to direct rainwater to the roots of the plant. How is the water stored? It is stored in the spongy or hollow stem of a cactus plant. The thick and waxy outer layer of the plant stops the water from escaping. As the climate becomes drier, the roots of cacti (plural of ‘cactus’) gradually spread out, closer to the surface of the ground. It is because of this reason that the cacti can absorb water quickly from the earth when rain falls, and thus create a ‘reservoir’ inside itself. In botanical ecology, plants with these qualities are called xerophytes.