The saguaro (scientific name Carnegiea gigantea) is a large, tree-like cactus in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is a permanent resident of the Sonoran Desert in the US state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and a small part of Baja California in the San Felipe Desert.

Saguaro cactus dimensions

Saguaros are long-lived. The growth rate of saguaros is highly dependent on rainfall. Some specimens can live more than 150 years. The largest cactus in the world is the Saguaro. It grows in Maricopa County, Arizona. Its height is 13.8 meters and its girth is 3.1 meters.

It grows slowly from seeds rather than cuttings. Whenever it rains, the saguaros soak up rainwater. The cactus visibly expands as it sits in rainwater. It stores water and consumes it slowly.

The cactus in the photo is estimated to be over 200 years old, has a circumference of 2.4 meters and a height of 14 meters. The largest cactus in the world in a photo from a trip to Mexico.

Lifespan

The saguaro is one of the largest cacti in the world. It grows most often in deserts. The cycle of life begins with a germinated seed. By the time it is 35 years old, it begins to bloom, and at the age of 70, it develops branches. Plants reach full maturity at approximately 125 years of age. A saguaro can live between 150 and 200 years. It reaches a height of up to 15 meters. Its growth is quite slow: only one meter period in 20-30 years. Maximum sizes The cactus reaches the age of 75 years.

The plant is distinguished by its enormous weight, which can be about 8 tons. 80% of the composition of a cactus is water. Saguaro is a very tricky plant. While growing, it hides under trees and bushes to protect itself from the wind and sun. It also absorbs all the water and nutrients from the soil, so that other plants have no chance to survive and die. The saguaro can become oversaturated with moisture and burst from the inside.

Description of the plant

The cactus is characterized by a covering of “hair” in the apical region and spines large sizes. Cactus blooms with white flowers with middle yellow color. Their number can be up to 200 pieces. The buds open only at night, so as not to be damaged by the sun. Then the pollination process occurs.

If you want to see the Saguaro in reality, then welcome to Mexico! In Arizona there is a reserve for huge species of cacti. In parks, plants are under the strictest protection. In case of damage to plants, punishment will follow, including imprisonment.

Saguaro - rare plant green world. Its gigantic size amazes and fascinates. Like any other plant, the cactus feeds through its roots. Moisture then enters through the xylem and phloem. These are tubes that carry nutrients and water.

What is unique about the Saguaro cactus?

The Saguaro cactus is unique in that it reaches maturity in a monotonous, dry, extreme, harsh, hostile, monotonous environment.
The cactus can reach considerable sizes and live for more than 150 years.
No large animal eats saguaros. spiny cactus is usually the choice of many small animals.
The Saguaro cactus has red, edible and aromatic fruits - people and wild animals are not averse to eating them. The fruits do not appear until the cactus is at least 40 years old.
Saguaro does not bloom for the first 35-40 years.
Saguaros are one of the largest cactus species on the planet that can store water for long periods of time.

Cactus is an extremely common crop in indoor floriculture. There are a huge number of species of the cactus family. What types of cacti there are and the names of the species can be found below.

All representatives can be divided into three groups:

Pereskiaceae;
Opuntiaceae;
Cereus.

These types differ in structure. So, Pereskiaceae have round stems and flat leaves which are covered with straight spines. They often bloom with single flowers. It is distinguished by edible fruits.

Opuntia cacti are distinguished by small leaves covered with spines. In addition to spines, they also have glochidia. Glochidia are modified leaves of a plant. Large flowering. The colors are varied. The fruits are in most cases edible.

Cereus species lack leaves and glochidia. This is the largest family, which includes various species. Some representatives have edible fruits. Basically, Cereus cacti prefer arid areas.

Blooming cacti

All varieties bloom, but not every representative will delight you with its flowering at home. In order for the culture to bloom, you will need to create the right conditions content for her.

Flowering depends on the variety. Representatives from small flowers(Mammillaria). And other species have large sizes. For example, this applies to Echinopsis. The size of its flower can reach 15 cm.

The colors of the flowers are varied: white, pink, red. For example, nocturnal flowers (that is, those that bloom at night) are pale in color - white, cream or light pink. Daytime ones can have almost any color. The exceptions are blue and black colors.

Main varieties and their names

All cacti can be divided into groups:

Indoor;
Forest;
Desert.

Indoor

Indoor cacti are those that adapt to home growing conditions.

Indoors can be classified as:

Notocactus otto;
Small-haired prickly pear;
Rebutia.

These species get along well in room conditions and bloom when proper care after them. Some may bloom in the first year of life, for example, some Mammillaria.

One of the most popular cacti that is grown at home is Euphorbia. This is an ornamental crop that is distinguished not only by its original appearance, but also by the poisonous milky juice contained inside the stems and leaves.

Forest

The most popular representatives of forest crops include:

Decembrist;
Rhipsalidopsis.

Decembrist and ripsadolipsis are similar in appearance. However, the petals of ripsalidopsis grow straight, without bending back. Color: red.

Epiphyllum does not have a very neat shape. The species epiphyllum is notable for its flowers in red shades. However, many varieties have been developed with a variety of colors.

Decembrist is distinguished by its flowering in winter. This is a very common variety. It blooms with white, pink, purple and red flowers.

Also included in forest:

. It has round shape stem, blooms with a single white flower;
. Remarkable not only orange flowers, but also edible fruits. Some of them are different pleasant taste and beneficial properties;

Desert

The desert spiny species include::

Mammillaria;
Rebutions.

Most representatives bloom indoors beautiful flowers . Some of them have the ability to bloom in the first year of life.

Determining the species by external qualities

Are you growing a cactus, but don't know what it's called? You can determine the variety by its external data..

Blooming

All cacti bloom, but not all can bloom at home. Wherein flowering varies depending on the variety.

They bloom mostly in small blooms. Possible colors: yellow and pink. It has several flowers; they may not open simultaneously, but alternately.

Has many varieties. That's why Flower colors are varied: white, yellow, red, hot pink. Blooms with numerous flowers.

Notable for the fact that only one flower blooms. However, it is large in size and yellow in color.

Decembrist or Schlumberer

Notable for the fact that blooms in winter time . They call it the Decembrist because it blooms under New Year. The flowering is large and red in color.

Cacti with leaves

In general, all representatives have leaves. However, they are represented by spines. If we talk about cacti, which really there are leaves familiar to everyone, it can be called Pachypodium.

prickly pear have leaves in the form of elongated cakes, on which spines are located.

It is distinguished by large leaves of light green color with teeth along the edges.

Long

Cereuses are considered the tallest. The height of some representatives reaches 20 meters. At home, of course, they do not reach such heights. But they could if the ceilings of the apartments did not interfere with them. Cereus is distinguished not only by its height, but also by its beautiful large white flowers with a creamy tint. Plus, they have an incredible aroma.

Up to 2 meters in height Euphorbias can grow.

Cactus with long needles

They boast long needles Echinocacti (Echinopsis white-flowered), Carnegia, some varieties of Mammillaria, Ferocactus. This is not a complete list.

The spines of Echinocactus Gruzoni can reach a length of up to 5 cm.

Decorative

Most varieties are distinguished by decorative qualities. Both the flowers and the stems and leaves of this crop are decorative. Among the most commonly grown in the house are::

Mammillaria(distinguished by beautiful flowering);
Decembrist(stands out for its luxurious flowering in winter);
(a type of milkweed, blooms beautifully large flowers);
Euphorbia(all types of milkweed differ not only decorative properties, but also healing);
(a very original representative with long leaves);
(decorative with long shoots and large flowers);
(a crop with an original spherical stem with one large snow-white flower).

Fluffy

Espostou called a fluffy cactus. This is a culture of Perun origin. This species is called fluffy because of the hairs that play a protective function. The height of this crop in indoor conditions does not exceed 70 cm, V natural conditions can grow up to 5 meters.

The plant is nicknamed the “Peruvian old man” for its hairs that appear gray.

Not a prickly cactus

To the cacti that do not have spines, include some species of Ariocarpus. This original culture with an unusual stem and a large single flower. It can also be attributed Astrophytum Asterias. This type It is distinguished by a beautiful and very large single flower in the form of a chamomile, which is located at the crown of the stem.

Thus, in nature there is a huge variety of diverse cultures. All cacti differ in height, flowering, needles. Everyone can choose a plant to their liking. Cactus is an original crop with the most incredible flowering. What could be more interesting than a blooming cactus?

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 long periods of 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 in 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 stems.
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.
They are distinguished by the characteristic shape of the 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 carry negative temperatures and short-term stay 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 hibernates 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 do not keep.

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 consider the most popular types and varieties of cacti in home floriculture, the 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 taproot 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 a large number of 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.
Represents relatively small plant, up to 9 cm in diameter, spherical or cylindrical in shape, devoid of spines.
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.” It grows slowly, but in natural conditions it 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.
In summer it requires 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 the unusual representatives of cacti. 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 big amount 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.
It is an epiphyte with a record short dormant period, 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 flowers 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 fertilizing 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.
With proper care and 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 it is necessary bright lighting direct rays of the Sun.
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 natural nature Cereus is giant cactus, up to 20 meters high, sometimes living for 200-300 years.
Its name means "candle". plant in it 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.