Cactus belongs to the family of fleshy plants called ‘Cactaceae’. Cacti survive in extremely dry and hot climatic conditions and their unique anatomical and physiological features help them conserve water. The stems are modified to prepare chlorophyll, which is the sole source of their sustenance whereas the leaves are modified as spines.

Different species of cactus show great variations in shapes and sizes. Some popular species are the ‘Golden Barrel Cactus’ and the ‘Echinocactus grusonii’. The plant bears big flowers which emerge from the areoles. Most of the cactus flowers blossom at night and are visited by many nocturnal creatures and animals like bats, moths and sheep which in turn help the flowers to be pollinated.

These unique plants find place in gardens for being extremely decorative due to their unusual structures and are used for landscaping. They are also kept as potted plants. Cactus is also used to put up protective fences. A similar fence can be found in Masaimara in Kenya. Some varieties of cactus bear fruits like prickly pear which are consumed in some cuisines.