Cactus Science Education
Common Name
Drooping Prickly Pear, Cochineal Prickly Pear, Barbary Fig
- Habitat
- Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Also found in Australia and South Africa. Likes moist lowland forests and sandy shores. In some areas considered invasive species.
- Care
- Very hearty, require little maintenance and water. Allow pot to dry out before re-watering. Drought tolerant.
- Location
- Indoors though can go outdoors in its container when nights are above 50 degrees.
- Observation
- The paddles can be transplanted easily. Main trunk grows tall with the paddles growing from the trunk and each other.
- Geology
- Native to tropical and southern Africa, however is found in many parts of the world, including Western Australia and California. It is a flowering perennial herb.
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Science
- Scientific study of plants. Botanical research increase and improve our supply of medicines, foods, fibers, building materials, and other plant products.
- Life Science, Biochemistry, Bilogical Sciences, Biology, Plant Biology, Microbiology, Entomology.
- Conservation
- Not considered to be threatened.
- Resource
- More Info
Common Name
Paddle Cactus
- Habitat
- Western Hemisphere. There are some 200 plus species distributed throughout the Americas.
- Care
- Very hearty, require little maintenance and water. Allow pot to dry out before re-watering. Drought tolerant.
- Location
- Indoors though can go outdoors in its container when nights are above 50 degrees.
- Observation
- They can be planted in the ground in a protected area to survive winter. They are edible and the paddles can be transplanted easily. Stake paddles if they become top heavy.
- Geology
- Native to tropical and southern Africa, however is found in many parts of the world, including Western Australia and California. It is a flowering perennial herb.
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Science
- Scientific study of plants. Botanical research increase and improve our supply of medicines, foods, fibers, building materials, and other plant products.
- Life Science, Biochemistry, Bilogical Sciences, Biology, Plant Biology, Microbiology, Entomology.
- Conservation
- Not considered to be threatened.
- Resource
- More Info
Common Name
Golden Barrel Catus
- Habitat
- Mexico, where it grows on steep volcanic rock slopes. It thrives at high altitudes (1,400 to 1,900 meters) in dry, sunny, and temperate conditions.
- Care
- Very hearty, require little maintenance and water. Allow pot to dry out before re-watering. Drought tolerant.
- Location
- Indoors though can go outdoors in its container when nights are above 50 degrees.
- Observation
- Puffy yellow flowers appear in summer at the top, around the crown, of the plant, but only after many years.
- Geology
- The species is native to the Mexican states of Querétaro and Hidalgo, specifically within the Moctezuma River Valley near Mesa de León
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Science
- Scientific study of plants. Botanical research increase and improve our supply of medicines, foods, fibers, building materials, and other plant products.
- Life Science, Biochemistry, Bilogical Sciences, Biology, Plant Biology, Microbiology, Entomology.
- Conservation
- The golden barrel cactus is rare and endangered—potentially regionally extinct—in nature.
- Resource
- More Info
- More Info