Cactus

The Cactus

The cactus is a type of unusual plant of an exotic nature, with alive colors and beautiful flowers, are covered with thorns that act as of leaves.

The cactus also have their enchantment in the beautiful and strange forms that characterizes to them.

They have the capacity to adapt to resist great ends of temperature in some of the most remote and barren zones of the Earth.

They manage to survive where there is drought thanks to its method to store the water in the stems.

The newness of these characteristics always has attracted enthusiastic collecting cactus.

Something that also is important is that many of these cactus are very easy to take care of.

It is only necessary to once water them per week in summer and every fifteen days in winter.

If a cactus in interiors has itself, need much light and is necessary to rotate them from time to time so that they grow uniformly.

When they are in the outside the exhibition must be sunny, if there are low temperatures are due to keep in the interior. When the cactus are hibernando they hold the low temperatures better. In this stage of rest it is necessary to maintain the dry cactus when the cold arrives.

2 exist.000 species of cactus with 200 sorts.

History and Evolution of the Cactus

The cactus appeared in the Earth does 600.000 years. Their predecessors presented/displayed forms very similar to the ordinary plants.

Some of the primitive cactus had almost normal leaves and stems. When varying the climate in different ample zones from the Earth, all the alive beings evolved in forms and structures that allowed them to survive in new conditions of environment.

First in evolving it was the primitive sort Pereskia, that still exists. From this plant the Pereskiopsis sort arose, that presents/displays fleshy stems, thorns, areolas, fleshy leaves expire and gloquidios in the areolas. The gloquidios were developed, increasing in the Opuntia. The trunk evolved, arrived at Quiabentia and reached a stage with the heaviest stems. In Nopalea segments appeared later of squashed form.

In the evolution of the cactus, another aspect constitutes the reduction of the size to foliar.

Nowadays still they are the cactus in evolution towards different forms.

Types of Cactus

Within the family of the Cactaceous ones we found three subfamilies:

• Opuntioideae. Cactus that have round leaves.

• Cactoideae with prongs. This type of cactus has many types of thorns: very small, almost invisible, other fine and other great ones that can get to measure 10 cm. Also it presents/displays different forms: curves, straight lines, with hook in the end and others more.

• Cactoideae without prongs. We found the cactus epiphyllum and rhipsalis, that is characterized because they live in humid atmospheres, does not have thorns and grows better in a shady atmosphere.

Also we found four structures basic:

• To make round

• In form of leaf or trowel

• Alargada or Rastreto

• Columnar

Flowerpots for the Cactus

The cactus can grow in many types of flowerpots and they will stay humid without problems.

It is always necessary to consider the size and the form of the cactus.

- Small Flowerpots of ceramics or of plastic

The cactus smaller than naturally grow in cracks of rocks, will be better in small flowerpots.

- Little deep Vasija

A cactus group is preferable that grows in one vasija little deep, to allow that the plants extend towards the sides.

- Great Vases

Cactus that become great must of planting in great flowerpots.

- Deep Flowerpots

The cactus that are greater need this type flowerpot so that the roots have space sufficient to grow.

- It empties

He is better to use flowerpot with water-drainage if he is inexpert in growing cactus, thus is left never water in excess.