The desert cacti they usually generate many questions because sometimes it is difficult to understand how they manage to grow and stay alive in such complicated climatic conditions.
Although many cities are thousands of kilometers away from the desert, it is common to see the popular cactus in decorations of houses, offices and commercial spaces. These plants that seem immortal, apparently, were discovered during the Spanish colonization in Latin American soil, being the melocactus, the first species to be documented around the year 1535.
If you want to know how to care for a cactus so that it grows healthy at home and you want to know everything about the characteristics of desert cacti, we share this interesting information with you:
cacti desert plants
In inhospitable, arid and abandoned lands such as deserts, incredible plant species grow that have survived for decades in weather conditions that sometimes exceed 45ºC or 50ºC during the day, and 0ºC or -10ºC at night. . There, you can find nopales, desert willows, choya cactus, water biznaga and the so-called Joshua tree, a plant that exceeds 10 meters in height.
desert cacti characteristics
Perhaps the question that recurrently comes to mind when thinking about cacti is, how can they store water in a desert? Well, it is clear that it does not rain in the desert during the day, which is why it is impossible for it to receive water; but at night, such low temperatures turn into ice, a situation that cacti take advantage of to store water in their stems, opening their small leaves so that the liquid enters the entire plant. Additionally, these plants are the refuge from the heat of many animal species, as well as the tops of their branches become the nest of various types of birds.
desert cactus with flowers
The so-called desert flowers often appear at the ends of the branches of cacti. Species such as the star cactus, echinopsis, rebutia and aporocactus can flourish in the middle of the desert, showing buds of vivid colors such as red, purple, orange and skin tones. It should be noted that these flowers have a very short lifespan, even a single day, due to inclement weather.
desert cactus pots
Are trendy! Cacti are perhaps the ornamental plants that are most commonly seen today in places such as homes or offices. Varieties such as desert roses, succulents and traditional cacti can be planted in pots and their care is minimal, which is why they are preferred by novice gardeners. We show you some care that you should have for cacti at home:
- It is not recommended to plant them in plastic pots, as they could damage the roots and hold too much moisture. It is best to use clay or cement pots as long as they have bottom drainage holes.
- Cacti require a loose substrate that allows good drainage and does not hold too much moisture.
- They should be watered whenever the soil dries out completely. It is best to place it in places where the sun’s rays fully reach it.
- Fertilize the cactus with a low-nitrogen fertilizer that is liquid in consistency.
We also present the Christmas cactus and the care that you must have for this curious plant that will look perfect in your home.