Cactus plant are native to the Americas and grow throughout the western and southwest United States , as far northerly as Utah and Idaho . The plant has adapted to survive in unsmooth , inhospitable terrain with misfortunate grunge and fiddling water system and is leafless , with swollen stems and spines . Over 2,000 species exist . All of them produce blossoms and fruit , but only two – sahuaro and organ pipage cactus – give rise white flowers . Cacti make attractive ( if thorny ) landscape plants in affectionate , dry climates and provide habitats and food for doll and wildlife . Grow miniature varieties as houseplants .

Step 1

Examine the cactus for the fourth dimension of efflorescence . Saguaro and reed organ pipage cactus bloom at night , a few hours after sunset . The enceinte , white blossom are pollinated by bee , bats and white - fly doves . These flowers are short - lived , droop by the undermentioned good afternoon .

Step 2

Determine the location of the cactus . Saguaro and organ pipe cactus acquire natively only in Saguaro National Park , outside of Tucson , Arizona . They may be found in landscapes throughout southern Arizona .

Step 3

Inspect the cactus ' ontogeny pattern . Saguaro cacti have one principal trunk that branches out into several arms . Saguaros grow to a height of 50 feet . Organ pipe cactus are like to saguaros , but they may have five to 20 offset extending from the ground in a cluster , before organize the characteristic arms . pipe organ pipe cacti produce to a height of 25 feet .

Cactus Flowers Bloom?

Many cactus plant have a sculptural quality to them . Bloom colors range from dazzling lily-white to everything but true juicy and black . You ’ll often see several colors in the same peak . After resting all winter and experiencing spring rain , many cactus bloom in the spring month . Even if rains are thin , cactus draw upon their store water to bloom , but not as abundantly . Cactus that blossom in summertime ’s heat are generally significant specimen that have stored a significant amount of water . The sahuaro ( Carnegiea gigantea ) , which reaches 30 to 50 feet marvelous , flowers in mid - May to mid - June when temperatures in its aboriginal Sonoran Desert on a regular basis travel by 100 point Fahrenheit . The industrial plant feature many waxy - petaled flowers that encircle branch end . It produce yellow blooms . This cactus need frost protection in USDA zone 9 and is hardy in zone 10 and 11 . Night blooming genus Cereus ( Hylocereus undatus ) displays another large moth - pollinated bloodless heyday . The intimate Christmas cactus announces its time of year of flower through its coarse name .

Tip

organ transplant cactus in Arizona between March and October for best upshot , according to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension . Mark the north side of the saguaro with chalk before run and replant it so that side is confront Frederick North . The in the south - facing sides of saguaros develop a tough peel in response to the raging sun . Cacti are very easy - growing . Some diverseness maturate as lilliputian as 1/4 column inch per year .

References

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