Hobby Gardening Cactus and Succulents Gardening Encyclopedia 08

Author: Editorial Department of "Green Living Magazine"
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: In the highly specialized industrial and commercial economy, even if you want to green your environment, after purchasing potted plants, you often forget or water them irregularly due to being busy. The result is either the plants wilt or the potted plants do not grow as expected. If you also have such situations that prevent you from realizing your green living aspirations, here’s a suggestion: try growing cacti and succulents. Cacti and succulents have a unique characteristic—they can grow in environments with insufficient water, which is also very suitable for those who are often too busy to water their potted plants. Before explaining the types and cultivation methods of cacti and succulents, we should first understand their similarities and differences.
First, what exactly are succulents and cacti? Broadly speaking, succulents include the cactaceae family and other succulent plants. Narrowly defined, succulents refer to succulent plants other than those in the cactaceae family. Here, we introduce them based on the narrow definition. Cacti mainly come from deserts and coastal regions, with a few varieties from tropical rainforests, such as crab cactus and peacock cactus, among others. However, most garden varieties are from arid regions. Botanically, cacti belong to the dicotyledonous class of seed plants, and most are shrubs or herbs. Currently, there are about 2,500 varieties, with new additions continuously, and their classification is also constantly being revised.