Desert Plant: Cactus

Cactus - which we also call thor - is the main plant of desert regions. There are around 2,000 varieties of cacti found in various shapes and sizes. Because many cacti are attractive, they grow in countries all over the world. A cactus can store a massive amount of water and can survive for a long time even in intense heat. Here are a few other interesting facts about cacti:

• Some cacti grow up to 60 feet tall, while the smallest cacti are only two or three inches in height.
• Every cactus has a waxy, sticky coating on the surface of its leaves and stem so that the water inside does not evaporate.
• Most cacti do not have leaves; they only have thick branches.
• The roots of a cactus do not go very deep into the ground, but they spread out in a radius of about seven feet.
• Most cacti bear red and yellow flowers.
• Every cactus has sharp thorns on its surface to protect itself against animals.