My lovely Cactus...

Cacti are same as the other plant under the Kingdom Plantae which have basic living components to survive. The difference is the adaptation of these plant to its environment which are grouped as Xerophytes. This means they are different in their structures and some special external features adaptation to the environment to function in living. So they can live in dry and warm condition where there is short water supply because they have developed the xeromorphic features to minimise the water loss through transpiration. Without these features it can't survive in the adverse environment. The xeromorphic features can be described through the design of the structure living things such as the spines to replace the leaf for protection and reduce water loss by reducing the stomata, so the stem will undergo photosynthesis instead of the leafs, the rate of photosynthesis will be reduced also. Others like succulent cylindrical shaped stems to store water in the large vacuoles for months and longer root extend deeply into the soil.

So don't supply too much water espeacially during wet and cold condition to the elder cactus to prevent it from dragging on the floor. They are not necessary putting under the sun but in the bright and dry condition and they can grow up better. So watering the cactus once for every 2 weeks is more than enough and some even 1 months didn't received water supply is still ok, they can grow without proper care, that is why always use for decoration and ornaments. But some cactus need more water...

The cactus can grows to a larger size whenever you change to larger pot and when it becomes so big in size that alter its shape and bent to one side untill a hight that it cannot support its weight just like my cactus, but after sometimes it will lift up the body and back to normal again, so not too much water as to not collapsing the stem itself. So I put my cactus along the fences so they can lie on the fences when they feel tired...:) Cacti have short growing and flowering seasons, so to have a longer life periods and well adaptation to its environment.

Plant a cactus is very easy one, just dig a small hole in the middle pot and put it inside to grow. One thing to be considered when planting a cactus is the type and quality of the soil used. The soil used can't be too hard and soil with rocky is not suitable because it has soft and thin root system which can be easily destroyed by the soil. The soft with tiny sac-like soil is used so that water can pass through easily and also easy for the cactus to absord it. It is better to plant the cactus in the pot not to mix up the hard soil on the ground, but depending on what type of cactus, some can grow with hard soil also... some need more water and some need less.

So for me I like cacti very much because they are easy to handle and not much work to do. It was started by my mom and she believe in feng shui that the cacti can block the inauspicious luck come into the house because of the spines will get rid of the bad luck, but the catci only can put in one side in front of the house because by putting on both sides perhaps the house look like the grave with two lighted candles besides it ... haha for me feng shui is much personal things in belief and much to a field of knowledge and interest. My cactus live for many years already and some becomes so long and some are extremly huge, not going to change the pot as it too long and big. But some are very ugly one which grow up with many small babies besides, and complete for food sometimes.

lox... here are some of my cactus pictures..

The catcus blooming, rarely happen...

I like this cactus because it grow in regular shape and nice spines..

This cactus special a bit, the spines located at the edge of the leaf,

so it needs more water than others because many stomata in the leaf...

This one die liao... the white colour is the blooms that fade away...

This is the tallest one among all my cacti like taipei 101, with fur covering its body... like snowing covering the spines inside.. sometime it cant support its weight.. so the stick beside to hold and uplift it..

The cactus bend and lie on the fences, got tali lagi..

This one I hate de, also need more water because too many liao... look like snakes.. eeee..

This is also weak liao ... see the stem already soft because too high and weak root system..

This have the support from the pot ... very big head

Actually this cactus already bent 90 degree liao .. then I use the stick to make it straight again..

this so weak that mayb not enough water.. the spines very small and short grow on the white spot there, this plant no succulent cylindrical shaped stem also...



Too many in a big pot... flighting for food and mineral salts, some of them are already die ler..