The Cactus
There are many different types of Cactus, and they are all part of the succulent family. They have a thick, waxy layer on the outside of their stems and leaves to retain water and protect the plant from the sun. They collect water when it rains and store it for dry periods.
Insects eat the whisker cactus. Goats feed on a small cactus called the "Living Rock." It grows among rocks to camouflage itself. The Gila woodpecker makes a nest in a cactus stem. It uses the nest for a year, and then moves on to another cactus plant.
True cacti grow only in the Americas. There are forests of saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert that grow up to 2 metres high.
In deserts in Asia and Africa there are plants that look like cacti, but they belong to a different family.
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