Can a cactus grow in Africa?
Peyote is an American cactus that has the right features to do well in Africa. It’s one of the few cacti species that can even thrive in the Sahara. This cactus doesn’t require very much water, and it has longer roots than most cactus plants, so it is capable of going deeper into the soil.
Is the South African cactus invasive?
Unfortunately it has become invasive and should not be cultivated. The most cactus-like South African natives are some of the members of the Euphorbia family like the Euphorbia ingens, commonly known as the naboom.
What is a cactus in Singapore?
Cultivated cacti in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Many species of cactus have long, sharp spines, like this Opuntia. A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales.
Where do cacti come from?
Cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north—except for Rhipsalis baccifera, which also grows in Africa and Sri Lanka. Cactus spines are produced from specialized structures called areoles, a kind of highly reduced branch. Areoles are an identifying feature of cacti.
Are cactus indigenous to Africa?
Cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north—except for Rhipsalis baccifera, which also grows in Africa and Sri Lanka.
Are cacti native to the Sahara?
The Sahara and its oases and plateaus hold life of all kinds. Beyond the above vegetation, you can expect to find figs, oranges, acacia trees, tobacco plants, oleander, peyote cactus, and many more shrubs, trees, plants and cacti.
Are there any cactus native to?
In California, a small number of cactus species found nowhere else in America grow in the far southwest, around San Diego and along the coast towards Santa Barbara, such as the golden cereus, Munz's cholla, coastal cholla, chaparral prickly pear and San Diego barrel cactus.
Where can I find cactus in South Africa?
Cactus pear is primarily grown for fruit and fodder production in South Africa. Although cactus pear is found on many farms and home gardens throughout the country, it prefers the arid to semi arid conditions of the Eastern Cape, Karoo and Highveld.
Do African deserts have cactus?
African Peyote Cactus thrives in the desert environment. Its thick stems retain water for long periods of time. Its spiny leaves help prevent water loss because of evaporation.
Where was the first cactus found?
Cactus is an American plant family not native to Europe, Africa or Australia. Very little is known about early cactus plants because only two cactus fossils have ever been found. The oldest, found in Utah, dates to 50 million years ago and was similar to today's prickly pear.
What is the origin of cactus?
Cacti are native through most of the length of North and South America, from British Columbia and Alberta southward; the southernmost limit of their range extends far into Chile and Argentina. Mexico has the greatest number and variety of species.
Is aloe vera a cactus?
Aloe vera may resemble a cactus, but taxonomically it's actually a member of the Asphodelaceae family, not the cactus family. While its botanical name is A. vera, various synonyms abound for this evergreen perennial: A. barbadensis, A.
Where does cactus found?
They are now found in many parts of the world, especially Australia, South Africa, and Mediterranean countries. Cacti are sometimes thought of as strictly desert plants, but many species, such as the prickly pear cactus, are found in a number of habitats. Cacti are flowering plants that produce seeds.
Is prickly pear indigenous to South Africa?
Prickly pear (also referred to in South Africa as sweet or mission prickly pear) is of Mexican origin. It is a tree or tall shrub, up to 5 m tall, with a thick, woody trunk.
Why are so many succulents from South Africa?
South Africa is known for its succulent Karoo which stretches from the South African west coast to southwestern Namibia. The climate here is arid or semi-arid making it a rich habitat for many species of succulent plants.
Is prickly pear illegal in SA?
Their entry to South Australia, movement or transport on a public road by themselves or as a contaminant, or sale by themselves or as a contaminant are prohibited. Regional landscape boards and Green Adelaide may require land owners to control prickly pear plants growing on their land.
Rhipsalis Baccifera
This is one of the hew cacti species that can naturally grow outside of America. While it’s a native plant to South American, it is most commonly found growing in Africa and Sri Lanka.
Opuntia Ficus Indica
This species of cacti are actually referred to as “Beles” by people in Africa. People love this plant because the spines produce a sweet cactus fruit.
African Peyote Cactus Plant
Peyote is an American cactus that has the right features to do well in Africa. It’s one of the few cacti species that can even thrive in the Sahara.
Barrel Cactus Plants
These are short round cacti that usually grow up to 1 meter in height. They are very easy to grow and are often used as ornamental cacti.
Pachycereus Pringlei
The pachycereus pringlei is most commonly found in Mexican deserts, however, it thrives in very hot conditions.
Opuntia
This type of cactus was originally from Cape Town and introduced in the 19th century. It is another hybrid of prickly pear cacti and has migrated to several spots across the world. Opuntia can be found in Kenya and other parts of Africa. This type of cacti has many pretty flowering plants, but they can become invasive.
What is a cactus in Singapore?
Many species of cactus have long, sharp spines, like this Opuntia. A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species ...
Where did the word "cactus" come from?
The word "cactus" derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek κάκτος, kaktos, a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Most cacti live in habitats subject to at least some drought.
What are cacti like?
In most other cacti, the branches are more typically cactus-like, bare of leaves and bark, and covered with spines, as in Pachycereus pringlei or the larger opuntias. Some cacti may become tree-sized but without branches, such as larger specimens of Echinocactus platyacanthus. Cacti may also be described as shrubby, with several stems coming from the ground or from branches very low down, such as in Stenocereus thurberi.
Why do cacti have grayish stems?
The stems of most cacti have adaptations to allow them to conduct photosynthesis in the absence of leaves .
What are the pests that eat cactus?
A range of pests attack cacti in cultivation. Those that feed on sap include mealybugs, living on both stems and roots; scale insects, generally only found on stems; whiteflies, which are said to be an "infrequent" pest of cacti; red spider mites, which are very small but can occur in large numbers, constructing a fine web around themselves and badly marking the cactus via their sap sucking, even if they do not kill it; and thrips, which particularly attack flowers. Some of these pests are resistant to many insecticides, although there are biological controls available. Roots of cacti can be eaten by the larvae of sciarid flies and fungus gnats. Slugs and snails also eat cacti.
What temperature should a cactus be in the winter?
Although semi-desert cacti may be exposed to high light levels in the wild, they may still need some shading when subjected to the higher light levels and temperatures of a greenhouse in summer. Allowing the temperature to rise above 32 °C (90 °F) is not recommended. The minimum winter temperature required depends very much on the species of cactus involved. For a mixed collection, a minimum temperature of between 5 °C (41 °F) and 10 °C (50 °F) is often suggested, except for cold-sensitive genera such as Melocactus and Discocactus. Some cacti, particularly those from the high Andes, are fully frost-hardy when kept dry (e.g. Rebutia minuscula survives temperatures down to −9 °C (16 °F) in cultivation) and may flower better when exposed to a period of cold.
How tall is the smallest cactus?
The tallest free-standing cactus is Pachycereus pringlei, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m (63 ft), and the smallest is Blossfeldia liliputiana, only about 1 cm (0.4 in) in diameter at maturity.
Where do cactus grow?
The stereotypical “cactus” is native to the Sonora region of Mexico, the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, as well as Southern California. Saguaros take decades to grow to a tall height, so if you see a tall saguaro, it’s safe to say it is a native grower. Cholla Cactus.
Where are cacti found in South America?
Areas in South America that are known for having cacti include deserts in Chile, Brazil, Peru, and the Amazon Rainforest.
What are the round bumps on a cactus?
The other thing that distinguishes a cactus is a feature called areoles . These are the round bumps that the spines and flowers grow from. Different types of cacti that are able to keep hydrated and protect themselves by means of spines and bumps.
Where do prickly pear cacti come from?
Prickly Pear, one of the most popular fruit-bearing cacti species native to Arizona. Almost all cacti originate in the Americas, so it’s fair to assume that the cacti species you adore come from the United States, Central America, or South America.
Where do cacti live?
While most cacti require desert areas to thrive, it’s possible to see certain species of cacti live it up in rainforests, tundra, and temperate climates.
Where can I grow Agave Palmeri?
Agave Palmeri, a cold-resistant cactus, which is native to the Southwestern parts of the US but can be grown even outside the Americas. For example, Agave Palmeri, which is native to the Southwestern corner of the United States, can be grown outside in the Midwest or East due to its cold-hardy nature.
Where are barrel cactus native to?
The most popular species are native to Arizona. Barrel Cactus. Also known as Ferocactus, these barrel-shaped cacti are native to most of Mexico and the American Southwest.
What is an Acacia brevispica?
Acacia brevispica (=Senegalia brevispica) is a hardy, semi-deciduous, robust, prickly, scrambling Acacia that can be trained into a large beautiful shrub. It has feathery, large, soft, bipinnate leaves with small hook thorns along the ribs on the underside.
What is an Acacia Hebeclada?
Acacia hebeclada (=Vachellia hebeclada) is a hardy, small to medium-sized, spreading, deciduous tree or large shrub with paired, sharp spines. The dark brown to grey bark is fissured and flaking.Birds, such as the Red-billed Wood Hoopoe, enjoy probing under the bark for insects.
What is the color of Acacia Davyi?
Acacia davyi (=Vachellia Davyi) is a hardy, drought resistant, deciduous, small Acacia with distinctive yellow or light brown, corky bark on the stems and branches. It has clusters of bright yellow puffball flowers on the ends of the branches from December to February, which attract insects to... View Plant Details.
When do Acacia caffra flowers bloom?
Fragrant, creamy-white flower spikes are borne from September to November along with the delicate new leaves making this tree a really beautiful...#N#View Plant Details
When do Acacias bloom?
Acacia galpinii (=Senegalia galpinii) is a very hardy fairly fast growing, deciduous thorn tree and is one of the largest of the Acacias. It flowers before the leaves in September and October with showy, white, bottlebrush-type flowers that are purple before they open.
Is Acacia gerrardii a drought resistant plant?
Acacia gerrardii (=Varchellia gerrardii) is a hardy, fairly fast-growing, drought-resistant, deciduous Acacia.It has a long, straight stem that starts branching high up to form a flattish crown.As it is sparsely branched and throws little shade, many plants and lawn grass will grow underneath i... View Plant Details.
Is Acacia luederitzii a deciduous plant?
Acacia luederitzii. Acacia luederitzii var. luederitzii is a very hardy, deciduous, quite slow-growing Acacia that can tolerate harsh conditions as it grows in desert and semi-desert areas. It develops a flat crown, typical of African Acacias, with age. It has fine, feathery, grey-green foliage.
Conophytum ratum
Conophytum ratum is a small succulent with a jelly-like body composed of two fleshy, windowed, almost entirely fused leaves. It usually…
Crassula congesta subsp. laticephala
Crassula congesta subsp. laticephala is a small short-leaved monocarpic succulent that grows up to 4 inches (10 cm) tall, usually having…
Haworthia angustifolia var. altissima
Haworthia angustifolia var. altissima is a small, slowly proliferous succulent that forms stemless rosettes of slender, erect leaves with…
Aloe vanrooyenii (Van Rooyen's Aloe)
Aloe vanrooyenii (Van Rooyen's Aloe) is a small, slow-growing succulent that forms a stemless rosette of triangular glossy pale green…
Curio cicatricosus
Curio cicatricosus, formerly known as Senecio cicatricosus, is a small succulent shrub with a very short stem and narrow leaves crowded at…
Tylecodon racemosus (Potato Butterbush)
Tylecodon racemosus (Potato Butterbush) is a sparingly branched succulent shrub with a single main stem and green branches, all with…
Conophytum stephanii
Conophytum stephanii is a dwarf succulent with bodies composed of two fleshy, almost entirely fused leaves. It grows in clusters, forming a…
What is the botanical society of South Africa?
The Botanical Society of South Africa encourages the wise use of indigenous plants in southern Africa. Good Hope Garden Nursery shared some great tips on indigenous plants that you can easily grow and harvest in your very own garden for medicinal remedies and exciting culinary experiences. We have a treasure trove of edible ...
What is Carissa macrocarpa?
Carissa macrocarpa (num-num) The beautiful berries of the num-num can be eaten as a fruit as they are very high in vitamin C and pectin. – Excellent for making jam and preserves. – They impart a gorgeous ruby red hue to syrups and cordials.
What are the benefits of Carpobrotus edulis?
9. Carpobrotus edulis (sour figs) – The succulent leaves are excellent for skin problems like sunburn, bee and blue bottle stings, rashes, cold sores and insect bites. – Chew on the leaves for sore throat relief. – The fruits have a tamarind-tasting juicy seed centre and are used to make jams, chutneys and sauces.
Is Oxalis pes-caprae edible?
Oxalis pes-caprae ( wild sorrel) The whole plant is edible, and it has a nice sharp taste. It is sour due to the oxalic acid content, so don’t overeat. – The flowers can be used in salads and the heart-shaped leaves used as a garnish in salads and dips. – The stalks and roots can be eaten raw or cooked in milk.
Overview
Distribution
Cacti inhabit diverse regions, from coastal plains to high mountain areas. With one exception, they are native to the Americas, where their range extends from Patagonia to British Columbia and Alberta in western Canada. A number of centers of diversity exist. For cacti adapted to drought, the three main centers are Mexico and the southwestern United States; the southwestern Andes, where th…
Morphology
The 1,500 to 1,800 species of cacti mostly fall into one of two groups of "core cacti": opuntias (subfamily Opuntioideae) and "cactoids" (subfamily Cactoideae). Most members of these two groups are easily recognizable as cacti. They have fleshy succulent stems that are major organs of photosynthesis. They have absent, small, or transient leaves. They have flowers with ovaries that lie below the sepals
Adaptations for water conservation
All cacti have some adaptations to promote efficient water use. Most cacti—opuntias and cactoids—specialize in surviving in hot and dry environments (i.e. are xerophytes), but the first ancestors of modern cacti were already adapted to periods of intermittent drought. A small number of cactus species in the tribes Hylocereeae and Rhipsalideae have become adapted to life as climbers or epiphytes, often in tropical forests, where water conservation is less important.
Taxonomy and classification
Naming and classifying cacti has been both difficult and controversial since the first cacti were discovered for science. The difficulties began with Carl Linnaeus. In 1737, he placed the cacti he knew into two genera, Cactus and Pereskia. However, when he published Species Plantarum in 1753—the starting point for modern botanical nomenclature—he relegated them all to one genus, Cactus. …
Phylogeny and evolution
A 2005 study suggested the genus Pereskia as then circumscribed (Pereskia sensu lato) was basal within the Cactaceae, but confirmed earlier suggestions it was not monophyletic, i.e., did not include all the descendants of a common ancestor. The Bayesian consensus cladogram from this study is shown below with subsequent generic changes added.
Reproductive ecology
Cactus flowers are pollinated by insects, birds and bats. None are known to be wind-pollinated and self-pollination occurs in only a very few species; for example the flowers of some species of Frailea do not open (cleistogamy). The need to attract pollinators has led to the evolution of pollination syndromes, which are defined as groups of "floral traits, including rewards, associated wit…
Uses
As of March 2012 , there is still controversy as to the precise dates when humans first entered those areas of the New World where cacti are commonly found, and hence when they might first have used them. An archaeological site in Chile has been dated to around 15,000 years ago, suggesting cacti would have been encountered before then. Early evidence of the use of cacti includes cav…