During the dry period, the cactus does not die, but gradually shrinks. The plant can wait for rainfalls and go without water for up to two years. When the rain passes, the cactus straightens out and again stores water inside itself.

The largest and smallest plant in the world

The largest and tallest representative of the Cactaceae in the world is the Californian giant (or Giant Cereus). The largest specimen, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, reached a height of 33.4 meters. The giant cereus has not only a unique height, but also weight; average specimens (12-15 m) weigh 6-10 tons and hold about 2 tons of water.

The smallest representative is tiny Blossfeldia, found in the mountains of Bolivia and Argentina. The cactus has a stem 1-3 cm high and small flowers 0.7-0.9 cm in diameter, with roots longer than aboveground part 10 times. Its annual growth is calculated in millimeters.

Can it be without thorns?

A misconception is the fact that all cacti are covered with spines. As a rule, they do not have thorns forest cacti, belonging to the group of epiphytes and growing on trees in tropical forests Brazil. They are characterized by long, wide, leafy stems that hang down.

The most famous cacti without thorns:

• epiphyllum;
• rhipsalis;
• hatiora;
• wittia amazonica.

Edible varieties

There are varieties of cacti that have edible and very tasty fruits:

1. prickly pear— sweet red-burgundy berries with a slight sourness; The stems are also eaten, both raw and fried and canned.
2. Melocactus(“Candy cactus”) - eaten candied, jelly, compotes and jam are made from it.
3. Neoverdemania– the stems are eaten baked and boiled; it tastes like potatoes and is widely used in Bolivian and Paraguayan cuisine.
4. Hylocereus- a fruit known as pitahaya or dragon heart, which tastes like strawberries.

Before consumption, thorns must be removed from the stems and fruits of the cactus.

Maximum root length

In pursuit of prey nutrients and liquids from the soil, the roots of cacti can grow up to 2 meters. When moisture becomes critically low, the plant may reject excess roots., which are no longer able to supply water and “food” to the stem.

Use as a musical instrument

One of the first instruments imitating the sounds of nature was made by the Aztecs from a dried cactus, into the cavity of which seeds were poured. Currently often used by Latin American musicians as a percussion instrument.

Use for animal feed

It has been proven that cows that eat cacti produce more milk.

Mexican farmers devastate prickly pear bushes around their farms, so they have to be specially transported from other places.

To prevent animals from getting hurt, the prickly pear has to be cleared of needles.

South American donkeys have adapted to knocking down needles on their own in order to feast on prickly pears.

How many species of cacti are there?

The classification of cacti species is constantly changing. According to the authoritative taxonomy of E. Anderson, over 1,500 species of cacti, 130 genera, are distributed on earth.

The secret of making tequila

The famous Mexican tequila is distilled not from cactus, but from blue agave. Agave only superficially resembles a cactus and shares its habitat with it, but it belongs to the Liliaceae family and is included in the group of succulents.

The traditional low-alcohol (2-8%) Mexican drink “pulque” is produced from agave.

The world's most expensive "thorny flower"

The most expensive known sale of a cactus took place in 1843.. Kochubey's Ariocarpus was sold for 200 US dollars (that's approximately 4,500 thousand dollars today). By the standards of that time, the cactus weighed half as much as the gold paid for it.

The cactus is a surprisingly tenacious desert inhabitant, requiring minimal care when grown at home. He is still considered one of the most unusual plants and takes worthy place in the collections of many flower growers.

Useful video

We invite you to watch a video on the topic “Interesting facts about cacti”:

The world of plants often amazes with strange beauty and wonders clean water. All the plants that exist different sizes and forms are unique in their own way, but cacti are among the most amazing in the world. Protected by an outer layer of spines, cacti can withstand the harshest and most unfavorable conditions. Cacti, which rely on their incredible ability to retain water as well as their thick skins to prevent water loss, are hidden deep in the driest deserts and even on the tops of some mountains. While cacti are certainly unique among other plants, some of them can be considered strange - even by cactus standards.

10. Agave or American Aloe (Agave Cactus)

Leuchtenbergia principis, known as the agave, is unique due to the straight, finger-like shoots emanating from the main stem. These "fingers" end in small groups of spines, which in older plants can develop into tangled, protective webs at the top of the plant. The agave begins to grow like any normal cactus seedling and soon develops its shoots. As the plant grows, these shoots develop into fleshy photosynthetic “fingers.” Once the shoots have formed, the agave retains its shape and simply becomes wider and stronger, remaining one plant. This is unusual because most cacti at some point either start producing small offspring, or grow some sort of "arms" in the case of tall plants.

9. Ariocarpus Fissuratus (“Living Stones”)


Cacti are associated with spines, but some species have no spines or lose them once they reach adulthood. Ariocarpus Fissuratus is an incredibly slow growing example of a thornless cactus. Some of them take up to 50 years to reach 10-12 centimeters in diameter. Being a seedling, these plants have very small, soft spines that grow from points of its geophytic structure. As the plant grows, these spines fall off and new ones do not grow to replace the original set. The result is a strange-looking, defenseless plant, which in itself seems counterintuitive for plant health. Due to lack of protection, Ariocarpus Fissuratus grows in hard to reach places, such as cracks and releases small amounts of psychoactive substances to avoid being eaten by animals.

8. Astrophytum caput-medusae


The uniquely shaped "jellyfish head astrophytum" ​​grows, as its name suggests, like the snake hairs of a jellyfish. The newly discovered Astrophytum jellyfish head was originally isolated in separate category, before it was discovered that its flowers, as well as the small tufts of soft, wool-like hairs found near its stem, were identical to the flowers and hairs of Astrophytum. This secured its place in the Astrophytum genus. The seeds of Astrophytum jellyfish head are among the largest - from 3 to 6 millimeters in diameter. The flowers of this cactus are also unusually beautiful - bright yellow with a red center.

7. Lophophora Williams or Peyote


One of the most well-known and closely monitored cacti is Lophophora williamsii, also known as peyote. It is illegal to grow or possess as peyote is known for its powerful psychedelic effects due to high concentrations of mescaline. Its use is officially permitted only to members of Indian tribes, since peyote for a long time was a central aspect of Indian rituals. According to the tribes, the use of peyote often helps to understand spirits and other disembodied entities...

6. Discocactus (Discocactus horstii)


As the discocactus matures, it develops a formation of “cephalia,” densely strewn with thorns, from which large white flowers appear and bloom. Despite the fact that in the early stages of growth the discocactus is green, over time it acquires a reddish tint. Although he looks normal desert cactus In the initial stages of growth, discocacti grow at higher elevations, approximately 304 meters above sea level. Disco cacti are very difficult to grow due to the fact that they begin to rot if you overwater them or, on the contrary, dry out if left without water for a shorter period of time than ordinary cacti can withstand.

5. Hylocereus undatus


When it comes to flowers, cacti are not the first thing that comes to mind, even though cactus flowers can be large and beautiful. The length of the Hylocereus wavy flower can exceed 35 centimeters, and the diameter - 23 centimeters. Hylocereus undulate only blooms at night, with each flower opening only once before it sheds its seeds and either becomes a pitahaya or falls off and dies. The flowers give off an extremely powerful vanilla aroma that can be overwhelming when directly inhaled.

4. Pereskiopsis spathulata


Some cacti are in a fairly primitive state, and they have both leaves and thorns. Pereskiopsis spathulata is one of them: its small spines, glochidia, and leaves grow from the same place. Tropical and very fast growing in nature, Pereskiopsis spathulata is often used as a grafting base to speed up the growth process of seedlings of slow growing species. Although this plant is capable of flowering, it is very rare to find Pereskiopsis spathulata grown for its appearance or flowers. Most specimens are simply cuttings that have taken root from a mother plant, resulting in numerous clones that can also be cut and replanted.

3. Turbinicarpus subterraneus


When we think about cacti, we think about tall plants with succulent stems that are covered with thorns, but (as this list has already shown) this is not always true. In the case of Turbinicarpus subterranean, the real surprise awaits below the surface of the earth. The small, bat-shaped heads are fed by knobby roots that are often the same size as the stems on the surface. This root allows Turbinicarpus subterranean to survive long periods of drought by storing large volumes of water. Being below the surface of the earth also allows it to be frost-hardy enough to withstand short periods of low temperatures as low as -4°C.

2. Obregonia (Atrichoke Cactus)


Obregonia is separate species cacti, also known as artichoke cactus. Like Ariocarpus and Leuchtenbergia genus, the artichoke cactus grows geophytically, in which the ends of its body spiral directly from the base of the stem. Although it has thorns, they often fall off the plant - leaving sparse tufts of thorns at the ends of limited areas leaf blade. This spiral growth pattern, combined with the type of trunk, gives the plant its characteristic artichoke-like appearance. Small flowers bloom at the tips of the shoots in summer period, as a result of which (in case of successful fertilization and maturation) edible, fleshy fruits.

1. Dwarf Blossfeldia (Blossfeldia liliputana)


Often growing between rocks in the Andes, Blossfeldia dwarf got its name from the land of Lilliput from the novel Gulliver's Travels, where all its inhabitants were tiny compared to Gulliver. And all because dwarf Blossfeldia is the smallest cactus in the world, and its largest specimen grew up to 13 millimeters in diameter. The size and patterns that appear as they grow make these little wonders especially unique. Cacti often have rounded growing points, but Blossfeldia dwarf grows from a depression in the center of the plant. Blooming during summer months Blossfeldia dwarf is self-fertilized and produces seeds that are so small that they easily blend into surrounding rocks and sand.

A general description with the names of the cactus family, and their classification and photos are given. Varieties of cacti available for growing at home are presented

General information about cacti

Cacti are a relatively young family of plants on our planet; they appeared at a time when mammals already reigned on the earth. The homeland of cacti is South America, from where they spread throughout the Western Hemisphere. And thanks migratory birds, some of their species ended up in Africa and Asia.

At their core, all cacti are succulents, that is, plants capable of storing water in their stems in case of emergency. long periods drought Distinctive feature What distinguishes the cactus family is the presence of areoles - special modified branches shaped like buds. It is from the areoles that cacti grow spines, flowers and “babies”, with the help of which cacti carry out vegetative propagation.

Areoles of a grandifolius cactus

Cacti are truly unique plants. Even their photosynthesis proceeds differently than everything else. flora: carbon dioxide for him it is collected by the plant at night, and not during the day. This is due to the fact that during the day, in order to avoid moisture loss, the cactus stomata are closed.

The living conditions of cacti are the most extreme. Some of them live in desert areas with destructive changes in daily temperatures and very little precipitation. Others, on the contrary, live in conditions of exceptional humidity that can destroy all other plant species.

The appearance of cacti has always surprised gardeners: appearance the plant cannot be called attractive or friendly, but the flowers that appear on it from time to time can capture the imagination of any connoisseur.

Classification of cacti

From a biological point of view, cacti are divided into 4 subfamilies and 11 tribes. However, cactus growers are not interested in such divisions. They divide cacti either by appearance, by living conditions in natural environment.

In appearance, cacti are:

• tree-like
• shrubby
• herbaceous
• vines

Classification by habitat is simpler: cacti are divided into desert and forest. This division of these plants is of a purely practical nature: in order not to refresh the memory of all 11 knees, it is easier for the cactus grower to immediately point out its shape and “place of residence,” and it immediately becomes clear what he is dealing with.

Forest cactus epiphyllum with flowers

However, for the most part these are plants whose roots have practically no contact with rich soils and the organic matter on which they are forced to make do is very poor. nutrients. The shape of the leaves of tropical cacti is also very specific - these are long, flattened shoots with thin short tendrils instead of spines.

If forest cacti are more or less similar to each other, then their desert relatives are represented by three types:

• They have spherical or cylindrical.
• Areolas, distributed relatively evenly, may be located on small ribs.
• Extremely tenacious and adaptable plants.
• Grafting any cactus is impossible without echinopsis, which are used as rootstocks.
• However, it would be a mistake to consider them an exclusively “technical” plant.
• There are many varieties of these cacti with excellent decorative properties.

prickly pear

prickly pear

• The most common type of cacti.
• What distinguishes them is characteristic shape stem - it is flattened and resembles a small cake.
• There are a huge number of varieties of prickly pears, which in their natural habitats find a wide variety of uses: from food to dyes or raw materials for the production of alcohol or medicines.
• The living conditions of prickly pears are also very different.
• There are species that can tolerate negative temperatures and short-term stays under snow, or partially embedded in ice.

Astrophytums

Astrophytums

• Cacti with pronounced ribs on which thick spines are located.
• Unlike Echinopsis, they are smaller in size, but have a larger number of ribs, and are also equipped with many small specks on the stem that can absorb water.
• Despite small sizes, astrophytums begin to bloom at a very early age.
• Their flowering lasts from May to October, which is a kind of record among cacti.
• However, everything comes at a price.
• In winter, this type of plant lies dormant and practically does not grow.
• In addition, astrophytums have the slowest growth rate of both the stem and root system.
• It is not recommended to transplant them more than once every 5-6 years.

Not all cacti can be grown at home. Some representatives of this family simply cannot fit into a living space. In addition, there are poisonous cacti that can cause both allergic reactions, and serious poisoning, so they better at home don't hold.

A separate category are plants used in folk medicine indigenous people of Central and South America. Among them there are both harmless antiseptics and very serious hallucinogens, containing up to 2% mescaline.

Let's look at the most popular home floriculture types and varieties of cacti, features of their cultivation and maintenance.

Types of home cacti

At home, cacti change their lifestyle and sometimes even their appearance. This is due to the ability of all succulents to adapt to conditions environment. Most often, such a manifestation can occur unnoticed by the owner, for example, it decreases root system or there is a change in the speed of flower growth.

In some cases, these lifestyle changes are reflected in the appearance of the cactus. As a rule, this does not lead to deterioration in the appearance of flowers; Sometimes these changes can make their classification difficult.

Ariocarpus

Ariocarpus

• An original cactus with reduced spines. Most varieties have a flattened shape and triangular branches from the stem.
• The inconspicuous appearance of the plant is compensated by large beautiful flowers or the inflorescences that appear on it every spring.
• It has a tap root system, often with a large thickening, which must be taken into account when selecting a pot for this pet. Sometimes the size of the root is 4 times the size of the ground part of the flower.
• Flowering occurs at the end of autumn and lasts several days.
• After which the plant ripens fruits containing many small seeds. Ariocarpus seeds germinate for several years.

Gymnocalycium

Gymnocalycium

• The spherical stems of this plant can have a wide variety of sizes, depending on the variety.
• Among them there are also giants up to 30 cm in diameter, and there are also very small specimens, no more than 2 cm in size.
• A distinctive feature of these flowers is their bare floral tubes, completely devoid of any protective hair.
• The plant is capable of blooming already in the second year of life. Flowering is long, lasting almost the entire season. The shades are varied - from white to dark purple.
• Some types of these flowers lack chlorophyll in their stems, which makes their colors very original. The stems of these cacti can be yellow or bright red.
• Gymnocalyciums are often grafted onto other cacti, for example, onto some varieties of astrophytums.

Cleistocactus

Cleistocactus

• Plants with a long cylindrical shape.
• Their height, even at home, can reach up to 4 meters, and thickness up to 15 cm.
• Although, mostly, specimens not exceeding 0.5 m in height are grown in pots.
• The plant is always perfectly straight, with about a dozen unpronounced ribs.
• The root system is very developed, which must be taken into account when growing.
• A distinctive feature of these plants is large number thin spines growing from the areoles.
• Moreover, the spines can be either thick or thin. Sometimes, with a large number of soft spines, the cactus seems to be covered with a kind of fluff.

Astrophytums

Astrophytums

• Plants that have a stem with pronounced ribs.
• Their number can reach up to 10, although specimens with 5 “rays” are usually found.
• The stem has a strong, almost rigid structure, so it does not have spines to protect it from potential predators.
• They bloom in the 2nd year of life. Flowering time depends on the species, however, its duration rarely exceeds 3 days.
• The flowers are mostly yellow or red.
• Almost all astrophytums grow slowly, which, however, does not prevent them from quickly “developing” free areas, reproducing both vegetatively and with the help of seeds.

• This type of cacti is extremely common. Some botanists believe that mammillaria are even larger than all opuntiaceae.
• The main difference from other cacti is the characteristic shape of the areoles and their large number.
• In addition, the flowers of these plants do not appear from the areoles, but from special axils located between them.
• The plant requires a lot of heat and light to maintain.
• This is one of the most demanding cacti, however, if all the conditions are met, its flowering will be one of the most abundant in the entire family.
• Mammillaria do not tolerate temperatures below +15°C in summer.
• Also critical for them are daily temperature fluctuations of more than 8-11°C.
• IN winter periods plants are able to tolerate temperatures of about 10°C, however, already in mid-March the plant requires “summer” conditions.

Lophophora

Lophophora

• Aka peyote or peyote. The same cactus, rich in mescaline, which was used in their practices by representatives of the clergy of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.
• And although its cultivation is prohibited by law in most countries, there are a fairly large number of photographs of this plant on the Internet, which is clearly not grown in wild conditions.
• It is a relatively small plant, up to 9 cm in diameter, spherical or cylindrical in shape, devoid of thorns.
• The root system is quite developed; it is from this that many “children” of this cactus are formed.
• The flowers appear at the top of the cactus. The older it is, the more flowers there are.
• Flowering time is about a month.

Cephalocereus

Cephalocereus

• Translated from Latin as “head of an old man.” Grows slowly, but natural conditions reaches truly gigantic sizes: specimens up to 15 m high and up to 0.5 m in diameter have been recorded.
• An amazing feature of this plant is its theoretically unlimited growth even at home.
• If you do not take measures to stop the root system, the plant is capable of growing to its natural size at home.
• Requires in summer good lighting and ventilation; Watering is moderate, no more than once every 10 days.
• In winter, the plant requires water-free dormancy at a temperature of about +5°C, which can sometimes pose a problem for a cactus grower.
• Although the flowers of this cactus are quite large (up to 10 cm in diameter), it is difficult to call them attractive due to unpleasant odor, which in nature cephaloceruses attract bats.

Rhipsalis

Rhipsalis

• One of unusual representatives cactus Belongs to the tropical type.
• Cultivated in pots suspended or placed on high stands.
• In about three years, it can grow downward and completely hide the support on which it is located.
• It is an epiphyte with small roots that serve mainly for attachment to a support.
• The stem is branched, up to 1.5 m long, although their thickness does not exceed 4-5 mm.
• Possesses a large number areoles, in each of which a flower is formed.
• Usually, all flowers, except those located on the growth cone, fall off, but the latter can bloom within a week.
• After flowering, all rhipsalis branches are covered with berries shaped like large currants.

• The so-called “Easter cactus” or “Decembrist”.
• It got its name because of the time of flowering, which occurs in December, closer to Catholic Christmas.
• It has many varieties and hybrids, differing in both the shape of the stems and the shades of the flowers.
• Is an epiphyte with a record short period dormancy, lasting from October to November.
• After which comes the time of active flowering. About a month after flowering and fruit ripening, the plant enters a phase of active vegetation, lasting until dormant.
• During this time, it significantly increases its green mass, so transplanting ripsalidopsis, especially in the first years of life, is a common occurrence.
• They are made immediately after the end of the flowering process; in this case, the pot capacity is selected, approximately 1.5 times larger than the previous one.
• A special feature of breeding this plant is its ability to withstand drought for quite a long time in natural conditions, but you should not subject it to similar tests at home: the more water the plant receives, the more colors it will be able to form.
• The conditions for keeping the epiphyllum are as follows: temperature in summer is from 20 to 25°C.
• During the rest period - no more than 10-15°C. Watering is rare, once every 2-3 weeks. At rest, it is necessary to completely eliminate watering.
• For abundant flowering the plant needs feeding in the form of special fertilizers for succulents or cacti.
• Usually, they are applied several times a season: every month, from June to September, fertilizing is carried out twice.
• At proper care and with sufficient feeding, the plant can bloom twice a season: in May and September.
• Flowering duration is about 2 weeks.

Rebutia

Rebutia

• A spherical cactus native to Bolivia. It measures about 8 cm.
• It is unpretentious under keeping conditions, although it requires mandatory exposure at rest at a temperature of about +5°C for about 2-3 months.
• In summer, bright lighting with direct rays of the Sun is necessary.
• At the same time, the cactus can withstand temperatures up to +40°C.
• A mandatory requirement is fresh air, so the presence of drafts is welcome.
• In general, in the summer it is better to put plants on the balcony or take them out into the garden in places where there is wind. This is due to the conditions in which Rebutia grows in its natural environment: the semi-arid highlands of Bolivia.
• The plant should be watered as follows: in spring and summer moderately, once every 1-2 weeks, and in autumn (the time corresponding to the period of rain in the plant’s homeland) – once every 2-3 days generously.
• However, you should pay attention to ensure that the soil is not wet. It is better to take care of this in advance by providing the plant with sufficient drainage.
• To stimulate the first flowering, it is possible to fertilize at the beginning of summer, however, as practice shows, rebutia, if the conditions of maintenance are observed, feels great without any fertilizers.

• In nature, Cereus is giant cactus, up to 20 meters high, sometimes living for 200-300 years.
• Its name means "candle". The plant in its dwarf forms is unusually common. It is appreciated not only by flower growers, but also by designers.
• Cereus blooms in May or June. Blooms exclusively at night.
• The flowers are quite beautiful - they are giant lily-like inflorescences located on the sides of the stems.
• Flowering lasts only a day, but produces a mystical impression, often accompanied by a pleasant aroma.
• Many people plant a cereus solely to see its flowering process.
• As with all cacti, if the maintenance conditions are observed, flowering occurs without problems.
• Cereus requires a lot of light, but does not like direct light sun rays. It is best to place it outside at the end of April and keep it there until September.
• Temperature regime of the plant: in summer +24-26°C, in winter – at least +10°C.
• Watering once a week, abundantly. If the stem of the plant begins to shine, this means that it is lacking moisture.
• In summer, it is better for the plant to be outside, but it is better to place it in partial shade or shield it from the direct rays of the Sun.
• They bloom for 2 to 3 months. The start of flowering is from March to July.
• Shades from bright yellow to purple.
• Usually, with normal care, they bloom in the 4th year of life, after which they bloom regularly throughout each season. Reproduction by seeds is possible.



The largest cactus in the world is the giant cereus (Cereus giganteus). Its height, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, is 25 m. The second name of the cactus is California giant. It grows in southeastern California, Arizona and Mexico. The giant cereus flower is the state symbol of Arizona. The cactus itself resembles a huge candelabra, but it does not immediately acquire this shape. Lateral branches appear around the 70th anniversary of the cactus.



The Largest Flag in the World in Baku

The area covers an area of ​​60 hectares, and its upper part is 31 thousand square meters. The height of the flagpole is 162 meters, the diameter of its base is 3.2 meters, and the top part is 1.09 meters. The total weight of the structure is 220 tons. The flag is 35 meters wide, 70 meters long, has a total area of ​​2,450 square meters and weighs approximately 350 kilograms. Construction of the square cost approximately $32 million



The 5-mast sailing ship "Royal Clipper" is the largest and fastest passenger sailing ship in the world, built in the image and likeness of the sailing ship "Prussia" (1902-1910).



The largest sandwich made in Mexico City measures 3.5 by 3.5 m.



800 kg of flour, 320 kg of honey, 2400 eggs, 400 kg of almonds, 80 kg of grapes - and the largest honey cake in the world is ready. Pie area 400 sq.m. Built in Germany



Tokyo. Most big city in the world

Naming the largest city in the world is not so easy, because different criteria this or that metropolis outperforms its “brothers”. Tokyo occupies the largest number of leading places when comparing the largest cities of our time, so today the capital of Japan is considered the largest metropolis on the planet.
Of course, there is a little trick here; in fact, Tokyo is essentially not a metropolis, but a full-fledged prefecture, which includes 23 municipalities, 26 cities, 1 county and 4 districts.

This allows the capital of Japan to be far ahead of other capitals in various indicators. For example, based on recent research, more than 35 million people live in the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures together) today. At the same time, the nominal population of the city and municipalities is about 13 million at night and more than 15 million during the day, due to students and workers coming from neighboring regions.

The largest city in the world covers 2188.67 km? territory, with a population density of more than 6 thousand people per square kilometer.