House Plants. The stapelia can sunburn in the hot summer sun. Cactus Plants Gardening House Plants. Cite This! Print Citation. Try Our Crossword Puzzle! What Is the Missing Number? Well, plants protect themselves from intense heat by producing smaller leaves spines in cactus , by using water-saving methods of photosynthesis such as Crassulacean acid metabolism , by growing protective hairs to deflect sunlight, or by producing thin leaves that cool down easily in a breeze or waxy leaves that prevent water loss.
They can also capture moisture by having short roots that expand when it rains, or extremely long, fast-growing roots that can quickly tap into groundwater. Finally, plants have evolved the ability to delay germination and growth to coincide with water availability and mild temperatures, thereby avoiding the exposure of tender young seedlings to the harshest conditions.
Beyond their intrinsic beauty and their support of other desert species, plants have tangible benefits to offer society. Using biomimicry , scientists and engineers have begun to copy the strategies of animals and plants in nature in order to solve human problems. Cody says cactus spines are actually a unique version of leaves.
The spines provide a little shade to the cactus when they cast their shadow onto the stem. They can also collect dew, and when the dew drips to the ground, the roots take it into the cactus.
Spines also warn some desert critters to stay away and not eat the cactus. But sometimes if there is a long period of time without water, or drought, cacti like the prickly pear can offer a source of food to some desert critters. Cacti can store a lot of water, too. When it rains a lot, the saguaro cactus takes in so much water it weighs up to about 4, pounds, or just a little less than a mini-van.
Cacti are native to the Americas and can be found from the southern tip of South America to western Canada in North America. They usually live in areas that are relatively dry.
Many cacti thrive in areas that are extremely dry, such as the Atacama Desert — one of the driest places on Earth. Like all living things, cacti need water to survive. Given the areas where they live, though, water is often scarce. To compensate , cacti have developed special abilities that allow them to conserve the water they do receive and make it last a long time.
For example, the prickly spines of cacti are actually highly- modified leaves. Spines protect cacti from animals that eat plants and also help to reduce water loss by restricting air flow near the cactus. Most cacti have extensive , but shallow root systems that allow them to soak up any rainfall that may come their way.
Specialized stems allow cacti to store water for a long time, since rainfall is often sporadic in the deserts that cacti call home. For example, a fully-grown saguaro cactus can soak up and store up to gallons of water during a good downpour!
Many desert travelers have learned that, in an emergency, a cactus can be opened to find life-saving fluids. We hope today's Wonder of the Day left you thirsty for more. Keep the learning going by exploring one or more of the following activities with a friend or family member:. That's a great question, Amelia! We think so, but you might want to take a Wonder Journey to find out for sure!
Let us know what you learn. I love cactus plants and I have 5 of them in my bedroom. Hi, Gary! Cacti are able to hold a lot of water - a fully-grown saguaro cactus can soak up and store up to gallons of water during a good downpour! Great question, King! A cactus can lose spines if something brushes against it or if the cactus isn't healthy! Hi, Evan! Yes, cacti are very good at conserving water from when it does rain! Have you added your Wonder to our Wonder Bank? Hey there, GuyFromSchool21!
We hope you'll check out these Wonders about chocolate! You're right, Essence Watts! Let us know what you think! You can research more about cactus' at your library. What spectacular questions from our Wonder Friends, Gr. We're so excited that you're here today! Happy Tuesday! We are over-the-moon to read your questions and Wonders about cactus plants. Your imaginations have been hard at work - great job!
We hope you'll do some WONDERing of your own to find out about these spiky plants; you can Wonder with the help of your school librarian, your teacher, and the Internet, too! The water may not taste like the tap water you drink every day-- it could taste bitter and acidic and not so refreshing! Some cactus leaves are eaten-- there are lots of ways to prepare them.
Instead of cauliflower, some recipes include cactus leaves! We can't wait to hear about what you learn from your Wonder exploration, friends! It doesn't happen often, and some people plan their farming season around it! We can't wait to learn more about what you find! We Wonder if you have traveled to a place where cactus live? We are always keeping our eyes and ears open for the Wonders all around us, and we hope you do, too!
Hey there Sue, thank you for sharing your comment with us today! We're so excited that you enjoyed our Wonder video-- a very talented man by the name of Tom Guilmette made the video. He did a great job-- the video makes us feel like we are right there!
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