Cactus, often known as cacti or cactuses, belongs to the order Caryophyllales and is a family of flowering plants with about 2,000 species and 139 genera. From British Columbia and Alberta southward, cacti are native to most of North and South America; the southernmost portion of their distribution reaches deep into Chile and Argentina. The highest number and variety of species are found in Mexico. The only cactus that might be native to the Old World are Rhipsalis species, which are found in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and East Africa. Few cactus species exist in tropical or subtropical climes, although the majority do and are well adapted to dry conditions. List of Cactaceae plants is also available.
Cacti are found everywhere?
As long as you are aware of their requirements and are capable of providing for them, cacti are among the easiest plants to grow. The size, color, and elegance of these plants are actually unmatched by many others. Space is seldom an issue for them because they typically grow slowly. Cacti, like other plants, need particular environments to flourish, though. This takes us to the important question that this paper will address.
A cactus can grow anyplace in the world, right? Yes is the obvious response to this query. Contrary to popular opinion, cacti can live in almost all climates; they are not restricted to arid regions. There is proof that some cacti species may survive in cooler climates and tropical rainforests in various parts of the world. Cacti are often easy-going plants that thrive as long as you give them the proper growing conditions and care for them.
Do cactus naturally grow?
The majority of cacti species organically grow in the wild. They are supposed to be here. Deserts, mountains, and forests are the three natural habitats for these plants.
Deserts
The common misconception that all cacti plants thrive in deserts is unfounded. Only a small number of cacti species can thrive in arid environments like semi-deserts and deserts.
Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of desert cacti is the enormous Saguaro cactus. The enormous plant, which can live up to 200 years, is found in the Sonoran Desert. The Sonoran desert, which stretches across parts of Arizona and California, is the second-largest desert in North America. It continues all the way to the Mexican border.
Three brief rainy seasons—one in the summer and two in the winter—occur in the desert. The saguaro grows well among other desert plants and is well adapted to survive in these conditions.
Mountains
Mountainous areas are also home to several cacti species. One of the world’s longest mountain ranges, the Andes, is home to a sizable population of cactus plants. About 7,000 kilometers of the mountain’s length begin on South America’s west coast.
One of the Andes’ oldest cacti species is the copiapoa. The plant can survive in rocky locations where it may be years before it rains because to its excellent adaptations.
The sea is the main factor in the Copiapoa’s ability to go for such a long time without water. A lot of fog is produced by the heated land being passed over by cold air from the nearby Caribbean and Pacific seas. Almost every morning, this takes place, assisting the plant in locating the water it needs to survive by absorbing moisture from the fog.
Forests
In the tropical rainforest that runs over Central America and northeast of Brazil, a sizable number of epiphytic cacti species flourish. Since there is a lot of rainfall in these areas, the climate is somewhat diverse.
Since there is a plenty of water available, the cacti species that flourish here, like the Christmas cactus, don’t require any special physical characteristics or adaptations to exist.