The Desert Cactus Cactus Is an American Plant. A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The plural word for cactus is cacti. These adaptations include – spines, shallow roots, deep-layer stomata, thick and expandable stem, waxy skin and a short growing season. Examples of CAM plants, besides the aforementioned cactus (family Cactaceae), are pineapple (family Bromeliaceae), agave (family Agavaceae), and even some species of Pelargonium (the geraniums). The word "cactus" derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek κάκτος, kaktos, a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. These arms generally bend upward and can number over 25. How better to create a desert environment in your landscape than to begin collecting cactus. Even when these plants randomly appear in a photo, immediately the setting is … Seeing as no cactus plant is the same, this houseplant is a … Learning is process and sometimes when you accidentally kill a plant, you learn. Cactus Care. Although this plant looks very much like a cactus due to its long spines and desert habitat, it is not a member of the cactus family. A cactus doesn’t have leaves like other plants do. A cactus has spines or thorns. Desert Plants. Click for more detail. In a garden setting, the majestic Palo Verde makes for a striking focal point and is a popular choice amongst xeriscape landscapers. Cactus, as a plant family, show … Every cacti and succulent expert has killed some, at least in the beginning. Their beautiful blossoms, thick stems and unusual shapes attract thousands of people to the desert each year. The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert. In the wild desert, the tree plays a key role in the procreation of new plant life as it provides necessary shade and protection for young Saguaro cacti and other vulnerable desert plants to grow. A cactus is a great addition to the home thanks to its striking shape, size and flowers. A cactus is a plant that grows where the soil is dry and rocky—most usually in the desert. Dry Plants Saguaros, the large cacti shown here, use different strategies to survive through the dry months. The cactus family is one of the most easily recognized plant families in the world. Overall, there are about 2,000 different types of cactuses found in the world. Don’t Do These Things! In the spring (April/May) hundreds of brilliant red tubular flowers crowd the ends of the branches, making it an important food source for hummingbirds. Jump to: Flowering Plants | Cactus | Trees. A cactus has special adaptations in its roots, leaves as well as stems that enable it to thrive in desert environments. With that design, comes thorns, spines, and absolutely gorgeous colors. But in the desert, where water is hard to come by, many plants Many orchids are epiphytes and also CAM plants, as … These plants are large, tree-like columnar cacti that develop branches (or arms) as they age, although some never grow arms. To move nutrients up their roots, plants evaporate water from their leaves in a process called transpiration. Throughout Arizona’s deserts, the local flora is designed to thrive in an arid, unforgiving environment. The desert is a difficult place to be a plant because of the dry, hot air. Mammillaria is a member of the Cactaceae family–it is a cactus and one of the ones listed on my desert plant list. The diversity of Arizona’s desert plants is as staggering as it is beautiful.