From adding a home’s aesthetic value to being a tourist attraction in different parts of the world, the cacti are exotic with over 2,000 species. I had previously been wondering if cactus is a flower, a plant, or a tree. Stick around to see my findings. 

Would you classify a cactus as a flower, plant or tree? Cactus is a plant belonging to the family Cactaceae which comprises 127 genera and has over 1700 species. Cactus are not flowers, but the areoles which are sort of branches are what give rise to the flowers. Cacti are not trees as trees have woody stems which cacti don’t. Cacti can grow up to the height of trees, but they have succulent stems that do not classify them as trees.

Cacti can be as tall as 19m with the Pachycereus pringlei being the tallest and the Blossfeldia liliputiana being the shortest with a record of 1cm at maturity. It is reasonable to think that cactus are trees, especially for those that are quite tall. However, there are the epiphytes that grow on trees, which makes it clear that they are not trees. 

What is the most explainable definition of a plant?

If you come across a succulent plant that has spines, it is most likely of the cactus family. 

In simple terms, a plant can be young trees, shrubs, vines, bushes, grasses or herbs.  As mentioned, all cacti species are plants. With over 1700 species, cacti grow globally. Some of the common cacti species are: 

• Prickly pear
• Saguaro cactus
• Peyote
• Chin cactus
• Star cactus
• Christmas cactus
• Thanksgiving cactus
• Moon cactus
• Barrel cactus
• Cholla cactus
• Totem pole cactus

We have several characteristics that make cactus a plant:

1. Photosynthesis

Unlike other plants that photosynthesize with their leaves, cacti do so with their stems. At night, they take in carbon dioxide, which is then used during the day. 

2. The stem succulent

A cactus is classified as a succulent. In other terms, a succulent is a plant that has thick juicy stems or leaves that store water. A cactus stores its water in stems, and some species are adapted to arid areas. 

3. Special skin surface

One attribute that makes cacti not lose a lot of water is the fact that they have waxy surfaces that prevent evaporation. Some species also have ribbed surfaces that prevent splitting even when the plant expands during desert rainstorms.

4. Cactus spines

Cacti have spines that protect them from being eaten by animals. The spines also act as insulation during the dry seasons. 

Is cactus a flowering plant?

Yes, cacti are referred to as flowering plants. 

Do all cacti bloom?

Every type of cactus is capable of blooming. It only depends on how you care for it and its age. Some species bloom when they are over 30 years. Others will not bloom if they are not in the right light conditions. For the Holiday cacti, they only thrive if they get short days and longer nights. 

Potted cacti need to be regularly checked as you need the right amount of water, fertilizer, and light for it to bloom. 

• Short stem cacti

Short stem cacti such as the hedgehog cacti that have mature stems that are below 2ft usually flower in five years or less. Such species often produce red flowers which are in plenty during spring. 

The Easter lily cactus produces white, lavender, magenta, and red flowers. For the Peanut cactus, stems usually crawl on the ground when they are ⅔ long and produce orange flowers in spring that are 1 inch and above wide.   

• Round cacti

The Mammillaria is an example of a round cactus. These types bloom in a span of between three and four years after they sprout.

Although they are round when they are young, as they grow, some form small columns, their flowers are magenta, red, pink, yellow, green, and white. They grow outdoors and are native to South America. 

• Columnar cacti

One thing about this type is that when you grow from the seed, they take years before blooming. However, if you cut a clipping from a mature blooming cactus, it will continue thriving even after the separation. 

Note, the Saguaro has to be grown from the seed since their branches when planted won’t root. They take between 40-55 years to flower. 

There are other columnar cacti such as the Peruvian apple cactus will take about 10-15 years to produce white flowers. The Senita cactus produces pink flowers. 

How do you encourage blooming?

It can sometimes be quite a challenge to get a desert cactus that’s designed to grow in arid areas to bloom indoors. However, you just need to mimic these conditions, and you get them to bloom. 

1. Buy a blooming cactus

When purchasing, the only sure way to know that your cactus will bloom is buying one that’s blooming already. Some of the best varieties to buy that bloom easily are Spiny cactus, Christmas cactus, Easter cactus, Bolivian cactus, and Dwarf cactus.

2. Place them in the right temperatures

If your cactus is to bloom, then you need to place it in the proper temperatures. You want them to bloom if possible on an annual basis. 

Most cacti bloom during summer. During winter, ensure that you keep your cacti at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This way, you can be sure it will flower during spring. 

3. Expose them to light

During the growing season, you can keep your cacti outdoors to get enough sun and light. Direct sunlight is ideal during this period as you make sure that it drains water well to avoid its roots decaying. 

Most cacti need approximately four hours a day of sunlight. You may sometimes notice you cacti turning yellow; this could be because they are getting excess light. Try to balance out for healthy, growing cacti that have high chances of blooming.

4. Water appropriately

As much as most of the cacti are drought-prone, they still need adequate water, especially the growing season for them to bloom. Water the succulents when you notice the soil is dry. Have good drainage so that the soil doesn’t soak and cause the roots to decay.

During winter, water rarely only when the pot is extremely dry.  In spring and summer, water at least once a week. Preferably, use rainwater as tap water may cause buildup, which tampers with the nutrient flow to the cactus. 

For varieties such as the Holiday cacti, they love water. Have a regular water schedule to ensure they have enough water. Consistent misting will help them produce healthy flowers. 

Be on the lookout not to overwater as it may cause stunted growth. On the other hand, underwatering will cause shriveling. 

5. Use an appropriate fertilizer

The only time you are allowed to use fertilizer is during the growing season. Purchase a fertilizer that’s only designed for cactus. Ensure it has a high ratio of potassium and low on nitrogen. To apply the fertilizer, take one tablespoon of fertilizer and mix it in a gallon of water. Then water the cactus until the soil becomes moist. 

Apply the fertilizer every two weeks during its growing season. When cacti are dormant, they don’t need any additional nutrients. 

Ensure you have a potting mix for the cactus. 

Can cactus be classified as a tree? 

There’s not really a definite explanation of a tree. However, it is generally agreed that a tree is a perennial plant that has an elongated stem and trunk that supports the trees and branches. It comprises of woody plants. A tree should be ideally above 32ft those that are less qualify as shrubs.

The tallest cactus is the Saguaro with it reaching about 40ft. Cacti can be tree-like.  However, they are not trees for the fact that even when their trucks are quite woody, when they dry out, they become very light and porous. 

Cacti don’t have leaves but instead have spines with fleshy stems, unlike trees that have quite woody stems. So cacti are not trees. 

Related Questions

How long do cacti flowers last? Cactus flowers last only for a day. Some of the species will flower at night, and moths and bats then pollinate them. The reason they bloom at night is that they want to preserve water, especially for those that grow in the desert.  Their big flowers are easy targets for pollinators. 

Which species of cacti last longer? The lifespan of different cacti is between 10 and 200 years. Those that grow outdoors tend to outlive the indoor ones. The Saguaro Cactus is thought to have the longest lifespan of between 150 and 200 years. The Neobuxbaumia macrocephala lives approximately 200 years while the Cephalocereus columnatrajani lives 145 years. 

Is it safe to drink cactus water? On the extreme, only consider this if you are out of options. The saguaro stores about 200 gallons of water, but it can be toxic. The barrel and prickly pear cacti store safe drinkable liquid. The easiest way of getting access to the water is by peeling their fruits and eating them raw. Only do this if its an absolute emergency.  

Cacti make great landscaping plants. My pursuit in understanding more about cactus drove me to find out more on where it grows. Stick around to see what I found out. 

So, where does a cactus grow? Cactus often grow in different climates. Most of them grow in dry and hot regions. However, some thrive in rain forests and mountains. What’s even more surprising is that some also grow in Antarctica and Alaska. They are also found in Mexico and various parts of SouthWestern U.S.

What’s more surprising is that cacti can grow even in the harshest environments. They store water in their stems, leaves, and roots. This explains why they can survive for long, even when it does not rain.   

Where can you find cactus?

Cactus has over 1700 species which most of them are native to the Americas. Different species grow in different environments. Below are some of the climatic regions you can find cacti. 

The Desert

Some cacti are found in drought-prone areas such as Mexico, Texas, parts of South America, southwestern US and the Atacama desert in Chile which is the world’s driest place. 

Most species of cacti survive in the deserts. What makes them survive is their adaptation to the environment. When it rains, they take advantage of it and store as much water as they can. Their roots are on the surface, which enables them to collect the water and store it in the stems quickly.

The amount of water the cactus stores is approximately 90% of the plant. For example, for the Saguaro, about 750-1000 liters are stored when it rains heavily. 

How does water not evaporate considering the hot nature of the desert?

Unlike other plants that shed off leaves during the hot season, cacti can continue photosynthesis due to their sunken pores on the leaves, and they also have a waxy stem to prevent evaporation.  

The pores often open during the night to release some moisture and close during the day. 

Their spines protect them from animals that would ideally eat them. However, for animals such as camels, the spines don’t prevent them from eating as they have papillae, which help them eat cactus with little discomfort.  

Some of the notable species found in desserts such as California are Prickly Pear, Barrel Cactus, and Cholla. 

Rainforests

Tropical rainforests such as central America, Carribean Islands, northern South America, southeastern Brazil, and Bolivia, are all home to certain species of cacti.

Contrary to what people think, cacti don’t only grow in deserts. There are those that grow in rainforests and are usually known as jungle cacti. Unlike the mostly thorny desert ones, jungle cacti don’t have spines. 

Most of the cacti are found in cloud forests that are in the elevation f between 1,000 and 2,000 meters. 

Some of the popular species are the holiday cacti: Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas Cacti. These cacti are mainly lithophytic (grow on rocks) or epiphytic (grow in trees). Such succulents mostly get their nutrients from dead leaves, the air or debris in cracks or crotches. 

The cacti that grow in trees do not sap any nutrients from the trees but rather do so for support. They have elongated leaves whose primary purpose is to absorb light. 

When planning to grow jungle cactus, it’s essential to mimic soil close to such natural conditions. To do so, you’ll need an appropriate potting mixture containing stuff like potting soil, pumice, oak leaf mold, orchid bark, among others. 

Always repot your cacti after every two to three years around when it has finished blooming. Ensure the cacti get the right amount of light. Just like in the rainforests, they grow in restricted sunlight, don’t expose them to prolonged summer light.

When they reach the flowering stage, consider using a tomato-type fertilizer every fortnight. Be keen not to use a high-nitrogen fertilizer. 

Mountains

As hard to believe as it seems, cacti grow in the mountains. However, they grow in the mountains with low latitudes. Such cacti can be found in Whipple Mountains

In this case, the mountains will tend to interrupt the humid winds and have a side that’s rainy due to ‘catching’ water in the air and facing the wind.

On the other side of the mountain is the rain shadow where there is rarely any rain since the air that goes to the other side comes back when it’s compressed, hot and dry.  Cacti will often grow in this part of the mountain as they have the arid environment they thrive in. 

What makes cacti grow well also in the mountains is the fact that the soil here is usually eroded and is quite rocky. 

Cacti love environments that are windy, rocky, and gravely soil, which is what is found in the mountains. 

The Mountain Ball Cactus is one of the species found in the mountains.

Breathtaking Places Where You Can Find Cactus

Cacti are beautiful, and I have rounded up all things cacti here. I have compiled an impressive list of some of the best places globally where you can find all sorts of species. The list involves locations as far as Texas and Spain. The craze about cactus is clearly not going away any time soon. 

1. The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve

For starters, the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! From the incredible landscape to the cacti galore, this reserve provides some of the best shots. It is around 500,000 hectares of land that’s protected. 

There are four mountian ranges: Sierra Mazateca, Sierra Mixteca, Sierra Zongolica and Sierra de Juarez. 

What makes this reserve stand out is the cactus. There are over 2500 columnar cacti species here! It is considered the largest concentration of cacti species globally. 

The reserve is considered as a ‘biodiversity hotspot’ because of the rare species found here that may be in danger of extinction. It is also among the last areas or remaining wild cactus in such volumes which justifies why it is on the heritage list. 

With such a large reserve to explore, you may spend days hiking while exploring the great cacti species available. There are buses available from Tehuacan to the Reserve. The only trick here is, be sure to sit on the front seats for a clear view. 

Also, if you decide to go on the bus, you can go to the Helia Bravo Hollis which is a botanic garden that’s filled with cactus in between paths. 

2. Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium

This garden in Palm Springs was established in 1939 by Patricia and Chester Moorten who were a celebrity couple. At that time, they were helping Walt Disney in designing Disneyland’s Frontierland. 

The Moorten gardens sit on a 0.4-hectare land. As you enter, you can see the Moorten home commonly referred to as the Cactus Castle. The garden is 1.5 miles from Palm Springs, and there is parking space. 

The couple showed their love for botany by exploring and collecting all sorts of desert plants. Moorten garden boasts of about 3,000 of desert cacti as well as other desert plants. 

There is a cactarium greenhouse which has different species of cacti collected from various parts of the world.

If you need guided tours, you need to book in advance. You can also make purchases of the available plants. Note that, the gardens are closed on Wednesdays. 

3. The Legendary Cactus Store In Los Angeles

The Cactus Store, located in the neighborhood of Echo Park, has a rare variety of species from all around the world. The store started in 2014, and its daily operations are run by Carlos Morera- a graphic designer, his uncle Johnny Morera-nursery man and cactus specialist, and other friends: Prof Christian Cummings, Max Martin, Jeff Kaplon and Greg Passuntino. 

Before the store came to life, they took about two weeks on trips to the Mexican border to hand pick cactus from different farms. 

Even though the store is only 350 square feet, it has 8,000 pounds in cinderblocks for displaying the various types of cacti. 

The store is best known as a collector’s store. Each cactus is handpicked for its own unique features. For example, a cactus may seem small in size and is more expensive than other ones, but some have been in existence for over 70 years. Some are just found on one particular farm in the whole world. 

The store ensures that each cactus is unique and has different attributes to the rest. 

What’s even more mindblowing is the fact that the pots in which the cacti grow come in raw form and are from a Mexcian manufacturer. Since cactus hate being in moist soil, these unglazed pts are better because they suck water out quickly as compared to the glazed pots. 

If you are planning to buy any cacti in the store, the prices start from $25 to around $1300 per piece. 

When the store started back in 2014, it was not named immediately, and it got the name, ‘Cactus Store’ from people because they just started calling it that. 

4. Kaktus København

Located in Copenhagen, the store was opened in 2015 by three childhood friends: Gro, Cille, and Maja. 

The store has specialized in over 150 cacti species. Most of the cacti have been sourced from a local Danish nursery which makes all their cacti Danish-bred. 

What’s impressive about this store is that the owners show you how the cacti can create the perfect decor for your house. They also help you know how to care for the cactus. 

The store started way before it was officially opened when Maja and Cille moved in together and started a cactus collection until they covered the whole large windowsill. It was when Cille traveled to Guatemala that she learned how to cook cactus and how to use them. This was when they decided to open the store together with Gro, Maja’s sister. 

Some of the tips they give when planting a clipping is: cut a small section of the cactus, leave it to dry for ten days. When planting, plant half the clipping which should be covered by soil. Avoid watering for the first few days to give it time to let the roots grow. Once they grow, you can water. They also mention that you need to be patient as the cactus takes a while to row. 

5. Desert City, Madrid

For nature lovers, this is another magnificent place. There are more than 400 xerophytic species on the 5,000 square meters gardens. 

The garden is divided into five zones: 

• Arizona: this section has a variety of cacti.
• Oasis: it’s a forest full of palm trees.
• Tuscany: has species such as pomegranate, lavender, olive, among others. 
• Tabernas: this is where landscaping breaks the aesthetics of the rest of the garden.
• Guajira: this is where the gardening plants, together with cacti and other xerophytes coexist.

There are free guided tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11.30 a.m. If you are coming in groups of more than ten, you have to book in advance.

The owner is Mercedes Garcia. You have an option of purchasing plants of your choice.

6. Getty Museum Cactus Garden 

This magnificent garden was built in 1997. It is a mixture of ancient and modern as California traditions, and the ancient Mediterranean inspired it.  

A notable feature about the cacti plants found here is that the layout is what creates terrific effects. Each section of cacti contrasts with the one next to it. 

There are 1500 species of cacti and succulents here. They sell at between $10 and $800. 

7. Jardin de Cactus

This magnificent garden is in Guatiza, northern Lanzarote. It is situated in a former quarry where extraction of volcanic sand was done to pour on cultivated areas for the retention of moisture. 

The garden’s design was by the artist, Cesar Manrique, who was among the most influential artists.  From the paved ways to the walled bridges, all evident at the garden are courtesy of Cesar. 

The cactus garden has over 450 cacti species with over 4,500 examples. These species are from all five continents. The dark volcanic rocks, together with the green plants coupled with the blue sky, make the garden look magnificent.  

8. Prick London

The prick was one of the first-ever cacti and succulent boutique in Dalston, London. The store’s founder is Gynelle Leon. Most of the plants are from the UK and Europe. 

The store sells over 150 types of plants. Cacti are considered low maintenance and a great addition to the modern way of living. They add to the home decor creating a sophisticated, relaxed look. 

The store has its own design of pots. Gynelle’s passion for cacti began when she started picking giant cacti. She was mostly attracted to the fact that they seemed to last longer than her relationships!

What makes this tore even more attractive is the fact that it is a complete contrast of garden shops. It is almost as enjoyable as shopping for clothes. 

Interestingly, they have a Best Selling Book: Cacti and Succulents: Choosing, Styling, Caring by the shop’s owner, Gynelle. 

9. Cactus Garden Chandigarh, India

The garden covers 7 acres of land. It is India’s most extensive botanical garden. Well known for its beauty of the cacti species in it, it was established in 1987. 

The best months to visit this garden are between September all the way to March. It has numerous species of about 272 varieties of genus Mammillaria cacti with a distinct one from Mexico known as Bursera, and its shape is like a big tree. 

10. Arizona Cactus Garden

Even though this garden is officially the Arizona Cactus Garden, it is located in Stanford University in California. Leland and Jane Stanford built the garden between 1881-1883. It is 30,000 square feet. And it is free to the public daily. 

Currently, the garden contains 500 cacti. The cactus garden is divided into two subsections: The Eastern and Western hemisphere. The Western hemisphere holds cacti species native to the Americas while the Eastern one has the rest of succulent plants such as aloe and jade plants. 

Related Questions

How can you make cactus grow faster? Cactus grow faster if they are exposed to the right amount of water (only water when the soil is dry), fertilizer (once a month during warm months) and light (place the cactus in the sunniest place of your home and keep rotating weekly). Provide an ideal condition during warm months throughout the year for faster growth. 

How can I get rid of cactus spines? There is the option of using tweezers and magnifying glass. The other more straightforward way is applying white glue to the affected part of the skin and wait for about 30 minutes until it’s dry then gently roll the gauze from the skin.  

Are cactus spines poisonous? There are no known cactus spines that are poisonous. What happens is that some small ‘glochid’ spines of some cacti species will easily stick in the skin and can be quite challenging to remove. Wear gloves such as those worn by rose gardeners to avoid this. 

Well, the secret lies in how this plant is adapted to absorb, store, and use water efficiently over a prolonged period.

So, where cactus store water? Primarily, cactuses store water in collapsible-water storage cells found in the stem. However, some cactuses also store water in their roots that are modified to perform this function. The collapsible water-storage cells appear as holes or spaces in the stem and retain water for a fairly long time.

Furthermore, ribs/flutes are present, which creates room for the water to retain. The ribs/flutes are invisible when the cactus is fully swollen but become visible when the stem shrinks.

Just like any other living thing, cactus needs water to survive. However, given the areas where it grows, water is often scarce. To compensate for this and adapt to the hot temperatures well, this plant has developed a wide range of special abilities that allow it to store the little water that it receives for a relatively long time. For instance, the needle-like spines of cacti are highly modified leaves that not only protect it from predators but also help to reduce the loss of water by restricting air flow near the cactus.

How Is the Cactus Cortex Modified to Store Water? 

During its evolution, the cactus cortex underwent various modifications that give the plant more water-storage capacity. The cactus cortex is divided into two sections, namely; the inner water-storing region and the outer photosynthetic layer.

The outermost layer is green, which allows the plant to absorb carbon dioxide used in photosynthesis even though it is quite different from a typical plant leaf.

The innermost layer is succulent and comprises of numerous collapsible water-storage cells that store enough water to keep the plant healthy and hydrated even during prolonged dry spells.

These cells have fewer chloroplasts and a highly flexible, lignified, and elastic wall that allows the cell volume and shape to change rapidly as water is absorbed or released.

The selective advantage of storing water isn’t just what keeps the collapsible water-storage cells alive but rather the fact that the water can readily be made available to photosynthetic cells of the cactus plant.

The water is also readily available to flower buds, axillary buds, developing fruits, and other parts of the plant. 

Water-storage cells have thin, flexible walls that contract or shrink rapidly as water is transferred in and out of the cells. In all cactuses, the cell walls of the inner cortex are thin and highly flexible and can easily fold to prevent unnecessary water loss.

On the other hand, the cells that need water in cactus are thick and more resistant to shrinkage. As the volume of water within the cactus shoot reduces, the cells of the inner cortex give up more water transferring it to other plant cells hence minimizing water stress and allowing the process of photosynthesis to continue.

The evolutionary expansion of collapsible water-storage tissues in the cortex of plants can sometimes create problems to the epidermis.

Since plants produce epidermis cells only at the shoot and root tips, a succulent stem that swells after a downpour can limit the amount of water absorbed.

But, this isn’t the case for most cacti plants since they have a pleated stem surface comprising of either ribs or tubercles that ensures maximum water absorption.

What Role Do Mucilage Cells Play in Water Storage in Cactus?

A surprising aspect of water storage in a cactus plant is the role of mucilage cells. These cells are common in many cacti plants and are believed to be highly adaptive in the cactus to help it retain more water.

Mucilage cells are also present in other plants. It is the presence of these cells that make some plants feel slimy when cut. Mucilage cells form a predominantly carbohydrate tissue that is capable of binding and holding water quite firmly.

But with water held tightly in the mucilage cells, how does that help the other cells of the cactus plant? Well, as is the case with the cactus cortex described above, the collapsible water-storage cells must always provide water to other plant cells and not keep it for themselves while the rest of the plant suffers.

In most cases, the cactus plant experiences prolonged spells of drought; hence, they should be able to digest the mucilage tissue and release water to other plant cells.

 

How Is the Cactus Root System Modified  to Enhance Water Absorption?  

Since they grow in deserts, you may be tempted to think that cacti grow deeper roots to help them search for a constant supply of groundwater. However, this isn’t the case.

Generally, the cactus plant develops an extensive shallow root system that lies just under the earth’s surface and may extend several feet away from the plant to increase the rate of water absorption. 

When it rains, the cactus shoots out more roots. But, during prolonged droughts, some roots dry up and break off from the plant to conserve water supply.

Typically, the cactus plant becomes more hydrated than the soil it is growing in, and sometimes it faces the risk of losing water to the ground. To avoid such a scenario from happening, the plant tries to disconnect itself from the soil as much as possible during the dry spells.

 

Some cacti send down a long and strong taproot soon after germinating. The taproot provides strong anchorage so that the plant isn’t washed away in rainstorms and also allows it to tap deeper subsurface soils with more moisture.

Examples of cacti that develop a taproot include the saguaro and the giant Mexican cereus. Saguaro’s taproot may extend up to 5 feet into the soil. 

Some cacti have succulent roots that store food and water. A perfect example is the Cereus Greggii, commonly referred to as the Arizona queen of the night that has an enlarged root system weighing up to 27 kilograms.

The part of the root that becomes enlarged is the xylem tissue that stores starch and water.  Most cacti don’t have aerial or adventurous roots since they tend to increase water loss. Cactus roots also change their characteristics as the water supply fluctuates.

For instance, after a downpour, the existing dehydrated roots become more water conductive, and new roots are rapidly formed to help in soaking up the little available rainwater.

During the dry spells, the roots fall off, and the existing roots dehydrate and shrink, creating an air gap that helps to prevent water stored in the roots from escaping back to the soil.

Are There Any Other Useful Traits  That Help the Cactus to Survive in Deserts?

Apart from the collapsible water-storage cells, mucilage cells, and a specialized root system, cacti have also developed a waxy skin, prickly spines, and reversed opening and closing of the stomata to lower the rate of water loss.

In fact, in some cacti, the prickly spines also collect rainwater and direct it to the plant roots.  All plants have stomata that open and close to collect carbon dioxide used during photosynthesis.

Stomata refer to the numerous little pores found on plant surfaces. During the process of photosynthesis, plants convert the collected carbon dioxide into sugars.

Typically, stomata open during the day and close at night. But, this process can be quite troublesome in desert plants such as the cactus since a lot of water escapes through these pores each time they open.

If a plant is trying to conserve its water reservoir, it can be a risky business to open the stomata and lose water.  While most plants open their stomata during the day, cacti and other desert plants open their pores at night.

The cooler night temperatures, lack of sunshine, and the calm breeze help cacti to retain a lot of water during the process. However, the lack of sunlight at night doesn’t allow cacti to manufacture food at that time. 

Therefore, it stores carbon dioxide at night and embarks on photosynthesis in the morning when sunlight is available. Even the leafy cacti such as the Pereskia have developed similar traits to make their living in the desert a little bit easier.

Related Questions

Where do succulent plants store water?  Typically, all succulent plants store water in stems, roots, and fleshy leaves. All cacti are succulent plants as are other non-cactus desert plants such as euphorbia, aloe, and elephant trees.  However, there is a wide range of other adaptations that are essential to ensure effective water absorption and storage.

Why do cacti have spines? The needle-like structures present on the surface of cactus are known as spines and represent modified leaves. The lack of actual leaves makes it possible to imagine the plant as one large stem with spines instead of leaves. One of the primary functions of the spine is to protect the cactus from plant-eating animals. It also provides shed for the cactus itself and minimizes water loss.

Can you drink the water from a cactus?  Drinking water from a cactus isn’t recommended since you are ingesting a new substance that your body has to process.  If you must drink water from the plant, drink from a fishhook barrel that isn’t toxic. The cactus fruit is edible as well.