Cactus Facts & Worksheets

A cactus is any member of the flowering plant group Cactaceae that is indigenous to North and South America and is defined by tiny or transitory leaves, bigger plant stems, and spines that emerge from areoles, a trait unique to cactuses.

See the fact file below for more information on the Cactus or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Cactus worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

• A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less usually, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, which includes roughly 127 genera and 1,750 recognized species in the order Caryophyllales. The word cactus stems from the Ancient Greek term κάκτος (káktos), which Theophrastus used to describe a spiky plant whose identity is now unknown.
• The correct plural in English is “cactuses.” Often, as a word in Botanical Latin (in contrast to Classical Latin), “cactus” would follow traditional Latin pluralization requirements and become “cacti,” which still has widespread usage in English.
• Cacti appear in a broad variety of forms and sizes. Although some species thrive in highly humid settings, the majority of cacti dwell in regions that experience at least some dryness.

MORPHOLOGY

• The 1,500 to 1,800 cactus species are classified as “core cacti” into two groups: opuntias (subfamily Opuntioideae) and cactoids (subfamily Cactoideae). The bulk of these two groups is obviously cactus. 
• They have succulent soft stems that serve as major photosynthesis organs. They have missing, small, or transitory leaves. They have flowers with ovaries set between the sepals and petals in a fleshy receptacle (the part of the stem from which the flower parts grow). In all cacti, areoles are specialized short branches with tiny internodes that produce spines, regular shoots, and flowers.
• There are just two groupings of cacti left: three tree-like species, Leuenbergeria, Pereskia, and Rhodocactus (all once classified as Pereskia), and the much smaller Maihuenia. Because these two groups vary from other cacti, any definition of cactus must always include exceptions for them. The species in the first three genera appear to be related to other tropical forest trees. 
• They feature woody stems that can be covered in bark and long-lasting leaves, that when developed, act as the principal source of photosynthesis. Their blooms may have superior ovaries (above the attachment points of the sepals and petals) and areoles that produce additional leaves. Both Maihuenia species have succulent but non-photosynthetic stems and succulent leaves that stand out.
• Cacti appear in a broad variety of forms and sizes. Although some species thrive in highly humid settings, the majority of cacti dwell in regions that experience at least some dryness.

TAXONOMY

• In 1984, the International Organization for Succulent Plant Study formed the International Cactaceae Systematics Group (ICSG) to draw up a consensus categorization of the cactus family down to the genus level. 
• Since the mid-1990s, their classification has served as the foundation for new systems. In the twenty-first century, treatments have often divided the family into approximately 125–130 genera and 1,400–1,500 species, which are then categorized into a number of tribes and subfamilies.
• Recent molecular phylogenetic studies, however, have revealed that a considerable proportion of higher taxa (genera, tribes, and subfamilies) are not monophyletic, which means that they do not comprise all of the progeny of a common ancestor. 
• As of March 2017, the internal categorization of the Cactaceae family remained uncertain and open to change. In 2010, Nyffeler and Eggli developed a classification that integrated many of the findings from molecular research.
• Nyffler and Eggli published a classification based on an explicit phylogeny in 2010. Although certain details differ, the main contours of their cladogram accord with that of Hern et al. (2011). Their categorization is given in the cladogram.
• The ICSG classified the cactus family into four subfamilies, the biggest of which was split into nine tribes.

SUBFAMILY: PERESKIOIDEAE

Genus: Pereskia

• The ICSG classification contained only one genus, Pereskia. It has common traits with the ancestors of the Cactaceae. Plants are leaf-bearing trees or shrubs with smooth, spherical stems rather than ribbed or tuberculated stems.
• Pereskia is a small genus of four cactus species that look nothing like other cacti, having big leaves and non-succulent stems. 
• The genus is named after Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, a 16th-century French scientist. The genus was previously described more widely until molecular phylogenetic investigations indicated it was paraphyletic. 
• The majority of the species have been reclassified as Leuenbergeria and Rhodocactus. Although Pereskia lacks the overall form of other cacti, close examination reveals spines growing from areoles and the cactus family’s distinctive bloom cup.

SUBFAMILY: MAIHUENIOIDEAE

• Maihuenia is the sole genus with two species, both of which create low-growing mats. It possesses some rudimentary characteristics seen in the cactus. Plants have leaves, but there is no crassulacean acid metabolism. They live at high elevations in Andean Argentina and Chile.

Genus: Maihuenia

Species: Maihuenia patagonica

• Maihuenia patagonica, often known as chupas sangre or siempre verde in Chile and Argentina, is a succulent cactus plant. Maihuenia patagonica is extremely resistant to both dampness and freezing conditions.

SUBFAMILY: OPUNTIOIDEAE

• There are 15 genera in this subfamily. They may have leaves while they are young, but these are lost later. Their stems are typically divided by several “joints” or “pads” (cladodes).

Tribe:  Austrocylindropuntieae

Genus: Austrocylindropuntia

Species: Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica

• Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica (also known as Opuntia cylindrica) is a flowering plant in the Cactaceae family. It originated in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru before spreading to the Canary Islands, Morocco, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
• It is a common ornamental that has spread to Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Due to misidentification, this species was wrongly thought to contain mescaline for a while.

Tribe:  Austrocylindropuntieae

Genus: Austrocylindropuntia

Species: Austrocylindropuntia floccosa

• Austrocylindropuntia floccosa, often known as waraqu (Aymara and Quechua meaning cactus and Huaraco in Spanish), grows in the highlands of northern Peru and Bolivia.

Tribe:  Austrocylindropuntieae

Genus: Austrocylindropuntia

Species: Austrocylindropuntia subulata

• Austrocylindropuntia subulata is a Peruvian Andes cactus. Subulata means “awl-like” in Latin, referring to its fundamental leaf shape. Eve’s pin and Eve’s needle are two more names for it.

Tribe: Cylindropuntieae

Genus: Cylindropuntia

• The cholla-like cactus genus Cylindropuntia is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Their barbed spines, which cling to the skin, fur, and clothes, distinguish them. Cholla gardens are cholla plantings. Because these colonies were formerly planted tubercles, organisms inside them frequently share DNA.

Tribe: Cylindropuntieae

Genus: Cylindropuntia

Species: Cylindropuntia bigelovii

• The teddy-bear cholla (choy-ya), Cylindropuntia bigelovii, is a cholla cactus endemic to Northwestern Mexico and the states of California, Arizona, and Nevada in the United States. 
• The soft appearance of Cylindropuntia bigelovii is due to a dense cluster of highly tough spines that over the stems, earning it the comical moniker “teddy bear” or “jumping teddy bear.” 

Tribe: Opuntieae

Genus: Brasiliopuntia

Species: Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis

• Brasiliopuntia is a cactus genus in the Cactaceae family. The only species is Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis. It is common in Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, Peru, and northern Argentina, among other places, and has naturalized in Florida. 
• Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis has thin, slightly shrunken cladodes on a central cylindrical stem. The leaves are a bright green color. 
• It contains one or two little brown upright spines on its white areolas. Light brown flowers are only found on mature plants.

Tribe: Opuntieae

Genus: Opuntia

• Opuntia, sometimes known as the prickly pear or pear cactus, is a flowering plant genus in the cactus family Cactaceae. Tuna (fruit), sabra, nopal (paddle, plural nopales).

Species: Opuntia littoralis

• Opuntia littoralis is a prickly pear cactus also known as the coastal prickly pear.
• Because of its short stems and propensity for growing near the ground, it is also known as the spreading prickly pear.
• The term “littoral” means “relating to the seaside.” Opuntia littoralis is found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral environments in southern California and Baja California. The appearance of the cactus differs; there are various kinds, and hybrids with related species are widespread.
• The term “littoral” means “relating to the seaside.” Opuntia littoralis is found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral environments in southern California and Baja California. The appearance of the cactus differs; there are various kinds, and hybrids with related species are widespread.

 SUBFAMILY: CACTOIDEAE

• This is the biggest subfamily, with nine tribes that include all “typical” cacti. Members’ habits vary greatly, ranging from tree-like to epiphytic. Leaves are typically non-existent, yet immature plants may generate tiny leaves. 
• Stems are frequently ribbed or tuberculate and do not have segments. Hylocereeae and Rhipsalideae have climbing or epiphytic forms with a distinct look; their stems are flattened and can be separated into segments.

Tribe: Cacteae

Genus: Mammillaria

• Mammillaria is one of the biggest genera in the cactus family, with over 200 documented species and variations. 
• The majority of mammillaria are indigenous to Mexico, although some are imported from the southwest United States, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Honduras.
• This and the closely-related genus Escobaria are known as the “pincushion cactus.” 
• Carl Linnaeus classified the first species as Cactus mammillaris in 1753, taken from the Latin mammilla, “nipple,” alluding to the tubercles that are one of the genus’ distinguishing features. Many species are often known as globe cactus, nipple cactus, birthday cake cactus, fishhook cactus, or pincushion cactus, while these names can also refer to allied taxa, notably Escobaria.

Species: Mammillaria bombycina

• The silken pincushion cactus, Mammillaria bombycina, is a flowering plant in the Cactaceae family. It is only found in the western central Mexican states of Jalisco and Aguascalientes. Because of illegal harvesting, the natural population is considered vulnerable.
•  It reaches a height of 20 cm (8 in) and expands continuously from offsets. The bulbous tubercles are coated in downy white hairs and have both little white spines and much larger brown curved spines. 
• The upper area is covered in circular clusters of rich pink blooms in the spring and summer.

Tribe: Cereeae

Genus: Melocactus

• Melocactus (melon cactus), commonly known as Turk’s cap cactus, is a cactus genus with around 30–40 species. They are endemic to the Caribbean, western Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, with some species reaching as far south as southern Peru and a concentration in northeastern Brazil.

Species: Melocactus azureus

• Melocactus azureus is a cactus species exclusively found in Bahia, Brazil, where it is endemic. Although it is plentiful locally, populations are dispersed and sensitive to habitat destruction. 
• The epidermis of Melocactus azureus is a stunning icy blue. It has a cylindrical stem that is (9-)14-30(-45cm) tall and 14-20 centimeters in diameter. 
• The spines are black to reddish, covered with gray, and some are hooked in seedlings, with the central spines slightly curved to straight and the radial spines quite stout.

Tribe: Notocacteae

Genus: Blossfeldia

Species: Blossfeldia liliputiana

• Blossfeldia is a cactus genus (family Cactaceae) with just one species native to South America, namely northern Argentina and southern Bolivia. 
• It grows at heights ranging from 1,200 to 3,500 meters in the Andes, particularly in rock cracks and near waterfalls. 
• With a mature diameter of roughly 10–12 mm, it is known as the world’s tiniest cactus species. Flowers are 6–15 mm long and 5–7 mm in diameter and vary in color from white to pink. Plants grow on rocky areas and often between crack formations on the sides of vertical stone cliffs, primarily on shale-like rock formations near waterfalls where there is almost a constant water flow. 
• Still, they can withstand severe drought and (in habitat) survive nearly complete desiccation, recovering when fog, mist, or rain returns to their natural environment.

Tribe: Pachycereeae

Genus: Carnegiea

Species: Carnegiea gigantea

• The Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea that can reach heights of more than 12 meters (40 ft). 
• It is endemic to Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, Mexico’s Sonora, California’s Whipple Mountains, and Imperial County. Saguaros live for a long time, frequently surpassing 150 years. 
• They may develop their first side arm between the ages of 75 and 100, although others never develop any arms. 
• Arms are formed to boost the plant’s reproductive capability, as more apices result in more flowers and fruit. A saguaro may absorb and store a significant quantity of rainwater, growing substantially and finally releasing the collected water as needed. 
• This feature enables the saguaro to tolerate droughts. It is a keystone species, providing food and habitat for a variety of other species.

Tribe: Rhipsalideae

Genus: Rhipsalis

• Rhipsalis is a genus of epiphytic flowering plants of the cactus family. Also known as mistletoe cacti, they exist throughout Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. They are also the only cactus group in the Old World, living in isolated locations in Africa and Asia. This is the most common and widely distributed genus of epiphytic cactus.

Species: Rhipsalis baccifera

• Rhipsalis baccifera, or mistletoe cactus, is an epiphytic cactus native to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida. It is also found in the tropics of Africa and in Sri Lanka, where it is known in Sinhala as nawahandi. This is the only cactus species found outside of the Americas.

Tribe: Trichocereeae Genus: Cleistocactus

• Cleistocactus is a flowering plant genus in the Cactaceae family that is confined to South America’s mountainous heights up to 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. 
• The name derives from the Greek kleistos, which means “closed,” since the blooms seldom open. These cacti have tall, slender stems that are often many-branched with multiple ribs with densely arranged areolas and spines. Only the style and stamens emerge from the terminals of the tubular flowers.

Species: Cleistocactus samaipatanus

• Cleistocactus samaipatanus is a flowering plant in the Cactaceae family that is indigenous to Bolivia. 
• It can grow up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall and has several long, columnar green stems with pale gold spines. It grows swiftly and has massive pinky-red flowers in summer.
• It must be grown under glass since it cannot tolerate temperatures below 0°C (32°F), yet it may be grown outside during the warm summer months.

GROWTH HABIT

• Cacti have a wide range of development behaviors that are challenging to categorize into distinct groups.

Arborescent cacti

• Cacti can be arborescent (tree-like), which means they have a single woody trunk topped by several too many branches. The species of the genera Leuenbergeria, Pereskia, and Rhodocactus may not be recognized as cacti since their branches are covered with leaves. Most other cacti branches are more cactus-like, lacking leaves and bark and covered in spines, as in Pachycereus pringlei or the larger opuntias. 
• Some cacti, such as larger Echinocactus platyacanthus specimens, can grow to be tree-sized yet lack branches. Stenocereus thurberi, for example, is a shrubby cactus with several stems sprouting from the ground or low-hanging branches.

Columnar Cacti

• Smaller cacti are known as columnar cacti. They have long, cylinder-shaped stems that may or may not branch, with no discernible difference between trunk and branches. It’s tough to see the difference between columnar and tree-like or shrubby shapes. 
• For example, Cephalocereus senilis is columnar in younger and smaller specimens but tree-like in older and larger specimens. In rare cases, the “columns” may be horizontal rather than vertical. Stenocereus eruca is columnar, with stems that grow along the ground and root at regular intervals.

Globular Cacti

• Spherical cactus are cacti with even smaller stems (or globose). Columnar cactus has shorter, ball-shaped stalks. Globular cacti, such as Ferocactus latispinus, can be solitary or build massive mounds of stems. All or some of the stems in a cluster may have the same root.

Other Forms

• Other cacti have a distinct look. Some develop as forest climbers and epiphytes in tropical areas. The stems of these plants are usually flattened and leaf-like, with few or no spines. 
• Climbing cactus may reach heights of 100 meters (330 feet) from base to furthest stem. Epiphytic cacti, such as Rhipsalis and Schlumbergera, usually grow downwards in thick clusters on trees hundreds of feet above the earth.

PARTS AND FUNCTIONS

Stems

• Cacti are distinguished by thorny, leafless stems (and all those belonging to the largest subfamily, Cactoideae). The stem is frequently succulent, which means it is designed to hold water.
• The stem’s surface might be smooth (as in some Opuntia species) or covered with tubercles which are distinct protuberances.
• Even in the genus Mammillaria, they range from microscopic bumps to conspicuous, nipple-like characteristics and even imitate leaves in Ariocarpus species. 
• The stem might be ribbed or fluted. The prominence of these ribs is determined by how much water the stem is storing: when full (up to 90% of the mass of a cactus may be water), the ribs may be nearly invisible on the bloated stem, whereas when the cactus is dehydrated, the stems shrink and the ribs may be quite prominent.
• Most cacti have green stems, which are commonly blue or brownish-green. These stems contain chlorophyll and can perform photosynthesis; they also have stomata (small structures that open and close to allow the passage of gases). Cactus stems are frequently waxy.

Areoles

• Cacti have structures called areoles. Although they vary in appearance, they usually appear as fuzzy or hairy regions on stems from which spines arise. 
• Areoles can also produce flowers. Areoles are found on the axils of leaves of the genus Leuenbergeria, which is thought to be the origin of all cacti. Areoles are commonly found in leafless cactus on high sections of the stem where leaf bases would have been.
• Areoles are compressed, highly specialized shoots or branches. In a normal shoot, nodes producing leaves or flowers would be separated by lengths of the stem (internodes). Areole nodes are so close together that they form a single structure.
• Areoles can be spherical, oval, or even split into two halves; these may be plainly linked in some way, for example, by a groove in the stem, or appear totally independent (a dimorphic areole). The upper half of the stalk produces flowers, while the bottom half produces spines.
• Areoles can have multicellular hairs (trichomes) that give them a hairy or woolly appearance, sometimes in a distinctive color like yellow or brown.
• Most cactus areoles develop new spines or blooms for a few years before becoming dormant. This results in a relatively constant number of spines, with blooms generated solely from the tips of developing stems that are still generating new areoles.
• Areoles in Pereskia, a species related to the origin of cacti, stay active for considerably longer than in Opuntia and Neoraimondia.

Leaves

• The great majority of cacti do not have visible leaves; photosynthesis takes place in the stems. Three (taxonomically, four) cactus groups are exceptions. 
• All of the Leuenbergeria, Pereskia, and Rhodocactus species seem to be trees or shrubs, with many leaves that have a midrib and a flattened blade (lamina) on either side. This family is paraphyletic and has two taxonomic clades. 
• Many Opuntia cacti (Opuntioideae subfamily) feature visible leaves that might be long-lasting or generated only during the growing season and then discarded. The small genus Maihuenia photosynthesis is also reliant on leaves. The leaf structure differs slightly across these groupings. Opuntioides and Maihuenia leaves appear to be made up of only a midrib.
• Even cacti with no visible photosynthetic leaves have extremely small leaves, less than 0.5 mm (0.02 in) long in around half of the species evaluated and virtually always less than 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long. These leaves cannot photosynthesize; instead, they are hypothesized to play a role in the production of plant hormones such as auxin, and the creation of axillary buds.

Spines

• Spines and thorns are botanically distinct: spines are modified leaves, while thorns are modified branches. Cacti bear spines which are always formed from areoles, as previously stated.
• Spines may be seen in cacti with leaves, such as Pereskia, Pereskiopsis, and Maihuenia, indicating that they originated prior to full leaflessness. Some cactus have spines only while they are young, presumably as seedlings. This is especially true of tree-living cacti like Rhipsalis and Schlumbergera, but it also applies to some ground-living cacti like Ariocarpus.
• Cactus spines are commonly used as identification since they differ greatly across species in terms of number, color, size, shape, and hardness, as well as whether all spines formed by an areole are similar or of distinct types. Most spines are straight or slightly curved, and their length and thickness determine whether they resemble hair, bristles, needles, or awls. Some cacti have flattened spines (e.g. Sclerocactus papyracanthus). Hooked spines are seen on other cacti. While the exterior spines are straight, one or more core spines may be hooked (e.g., Mammillaria rekoi).
• Members of the subfamily Opuntioideae feature relatively small spines called glochids that are barbed along their length and easily shed in addition to normal-length spines. These penetrate the skin and are difficult to remove due to their fineness and ease of breaking, creating long-term discomfort.

Roots

• Most ground-living cacti only have fine roots that stretch out for variable distances around the plant’s base, close to the surface. Some cacti contain taproots; in genera like Ariocarpus, they are much bigger and have a higher volume than the body. Taproots can help to stabilize bigger columnar cacti. Climbing, creeping, and epiphytic cacti may have only adventitious roots, which form where the stems come into contact with a rooting medium.

Flowers

• The appearance of cactus blooms, like their spines, varies. The ovary is generally surrounded by stem or receptacle tissue, resulting in a structure known as a pericarpel. Tissue from the petals and sepals extends the pericarpel, resulting in a composite tube — the entire structure is referred to as a floral tube, but only the piece farthest from the base is floral in origin. 
• Common areoles produce wool and spines on the outside of the tubular structure. The tube usually has small scale-like bracts that later turn sepal-like and then petal-like structures, making the sepals and petals difficult to identify (and hence are often called “tepals”).
• Some cacti produce bloom tubes with no wool, spines, or other distinguishing characteristics (e.g. Mammillaria). 
• Pereskia flowers in clusters, unlike most other cactus. Cactus blooms normally have many stamens but just one style, which may finally branch into several stigmas. 
• The stamens are generally found  throughout the inner surface of the upper half of the floral tube, however, in other cacti, the stamens occur in one or more separate “series” in various parts of the floral tube. 
• The flower is generally radially symmetrical, however, some species are bilaterally symmetrical. Flower colors range from white to yellow, crimson, and magenta.

ADAPTATION TO DRY ENVIRONMENTS

• Some habitats, such as deserts, semi-deserts, and dry steppes, experience very little precipitation. The plants here are known as xerophytes, and many of them are succulents, with thick or reduced succulent leaves.
• Succulent plants are water-retaining plants that thrive in dry environments. Water is stored in the leaves, stems, and/or roots. Succulent plants have a more bloated or meaty look than other plants due to water storage. Except for a few exceptions (such as the genus Rhodocactus), all cacti are succulent plants, but not all succulent plants are cacti. Various cacti, like other succulents, have a variety of adaptations that allow them to live in these settings. Cactus leaves are frequently reduced in size to restrict the surface area through which water may be lost via transpiration.
• The leaves of some species remain large and normal, while others reduce to microscopic size while keeping the stomata, xylem, and phloem. Certain cactus species have also generated ephemeral leaves, which are leaves that only last for a short period of time while the stem is growing.
• Opuntia ficus indicia, sometimes known as the prickly pear, is an example of a plant with transient leaves.
• Cactus have developed spines that shade the plant, allowing less water to escape through transpiration and protecting the cactus from water-seeking animals. Areoles, which are specialized structures, give rise to spines. Spines on the lower part of certain cacti grow downward to prevent rats and other animals from rising. Spines can also gather dew from the air and allow it to fall to the roots (Benson 1969).
• Because of the scarcity of water, most cacti have a short growing season and a long hibernation period. In 10 days, a fully grown saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) may absorb up to 3,000 liters (800 gallons) of water. This is facilitated by the cacti’s ability to develop new roots quickly.
• Following a moderately long drought, fresh root development occurs within two hours after rain. With the exception of a few cases. A highly ramified root system grows, quickly spreading under the surface. When moisture is available, the salt level of the root cells is fairly high, allowing water to be absorbed as rapidly as possible.

ECOLOGY

• Cacti perform critical functions in their habitats. They supply food and water for desert creatures such as deer, quail, wild turkeys, pack rats, gophers, rabbits, and tortoises (Patriquin 2007, Taylor 1998). Many animals consume its fruit, and woodpeckers nest in their stems. The blooms of the saguaro supply nectar for hummingbirds, bats, bees, moths, and other insects. 
• Hummingbirds would struggle to migrate over the southwestern desert between their winter and summer ranges if cactus flowers were not present.
• Some cactus blooms generate long tubes up to 30 cm (12 in) in length, allowing only moths to reach the nectar and pollinate the blooming. There are other specializations for bats, hummingbirds, and particular kinds of bees. Seed dispersion is greatly aided by goats, birds, ants, mice, and bats.

CONSERVATION

• Development, grazing, and over-collection are the three greatest dangers to cactus in the wild. Development can take many different forms. The construction of a dam at Zimapan, Mexico, destroyed a major portion of the Echinocactus grusonii natural environment. Cactus ecosystems have been devastated by urban expansion and motorways in sections of Mexico, New Mexico, and Arizona, especially the Sonoran Desert. Populations of Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus in Mexico, where arid plains were plowed for maize farming, and Copiapoa and Eulychnia in Chile, where valley slopes were planted with vines, have been impacted by land conversion.
• Cacti can be preserved either in situ or ex situ. In situ conservation involves preservation practices through legislative safeguards and the construction of specially protected areas such as national parks and reserves. Big Bend National Park in Texas and Saguaro National Park in Arizona are two examples of such protected areas in the United States. 
• Ex situ conservation aims to maintain plants and seeds outside of their natural settings, with the eventual objective of reintroduction. 
• Botanical gardens play an important part in ex situ conservation; for example, the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona stores cactus and other succulent seeds for lengthy periods of time.

Cactus Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Cactus across 50 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Cactus which is indigenous to North and South America.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Cactus Facts 
• Fiddle It!
• Unscramble & Fill
• Naming Parts
• Tribe Searching
• Species Define
• Cacti Adapt
• Picture Matching
• Picture Relationship
• A-MAZE-ing Cacti
• Cacti Viewing

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