Types of Cactus – The Various Members of the Plants that Conserve Water

There are many different types of cactus or plants that are famous for their capacity to consume water. Such plants are mostly found in the desert regions of the world.

Types of Cactus – Different Varieties

Cactus is a plant that does not contain any leaves, but may have flowers blooming from the base. One of the types of cactus that is really well known is the pincushion cactus. This is a plant that is not more than six inches in height. Colorful large flowers tend to grow from this plant along with several edible berries. Several large spines can also be located on this plant, hence the name pincushion cactus. The Saguaro Cactus is also one of the types of cactus that is quite renowned. The branches or arms of this cactus grow or bend upwards.

Cholla Cactus – North American Variant

Cacti that are of the Opuntia genus can be found in the North American deserts. One such Cacti plant is the Cholla cactus, which exists in the south western part of the country. These grow with highly jointed cylindrical stems. They have a papery sheath covering their spines. One of the popular forms of the cholla cactus is the Chain Fruit Cactus. This is a cactus plant that is known to grow to a height of as high as fifteen feet. It produces fruits which hang from the branches. Another form of such Cacti is the Buckthorn Cholla. This grows to a height of about ten feet and is either purple or green in color.

Hedgehog Cactus – Unique Plant

Cactus is a plant capable of surviving in a very hot and dry environment primarily because of their ability of water conservation. The hedgehog cactus is a unique form of cactus that is found in the deserts of Arizona as well as in the deserts in the country of Mexico. It also grows in greenhouses. A very spiny and pear shaped fruit is found to grow on the spines of this cactus plant. The average height of the hedgehog cactus is between six to eight feet. There are instances however, when this plant is known to have exceeded a height of twenty feet.