Cacti are surprisingly fragile – and five other intriguing facts about these spiky wonders

By Jamie Thompson, Lecturer in Evolutionary Biology, University of Reading

Few plant families are as iconic as the resilient, spiky cactus, thriving in the driest deserts and as well as decorating our offices and homes. Their success in both environments comes down to extreme adaptations for surviving with little water – whether braving the brutal sun or enduring weeks of neglect from busy “plant parents”. But there’s much more to the around 1,850 cacti species than their ruggedness. Here are six surprising facts about this succulent plant family that you…

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