Facts about Cacti

1. 06

   Carnegiea gigantea flowers bloom exclusively at night and produce a sweet nectar that attracts lesser long-nosed bats, which pollinate approximately 80 percent of saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert.

   CactiMay 14sharepollinationbiologyecology
2. 05

   Some cacti species in the genus Opuntia have been cultivated for over 9,000 years and produce nutritious pads called nopales that contain twice the protein of most vegetables.

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3. 04

   Ocotillo cacti in the Sonoran Desert can grow up to 40 feet tall with branches that leaf out and shed up to 17 times annually depending on rainfall patterns.

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4. 03

   Peyote cacti contain mescaline, a psychoactive alkaloid that indigenous peoples have used ceremonially for at least 5,500 years in northern Mexico.

   CactiMay 14sharechemistryethnobotanyancient
5. 02

   Barrel cacti can survive up to 10 years without rainfall by storing water in their thick, waxy stems that expand and contract with moisture levels.

   CactiMay 14shareadaptationbiologysurvival
6. 01

   The saguaro cactus can live for 200 years and weigh up to 80 tons when fully hydrated with stored water.

   CactiMay 14sharebiologymeasurementlongevity