2 W hat is a cactus? 

WHAT ARE CACTI AND SUCCULENTS? 
Plants known as succulents can be briefly described as those which 
are capable of surviving long periods of drought. They usually possess 
fleshy or succulent moisture-storing leaves, stems, or tubers. In many 
of the plant families, or groups having similar characteristics, one 
may find one or more of that broad classification which we call 
succulents. For instance, all of the plants in the Cactus Family are 
succulents but it is well to keep in mind that a// succulents are not 
cacti. That is why we say “‘cacti and the other succulents’ when we 
want to be technically correct. 
Your next question may then be, “Then a cabbage is a succulent, 
is it not?’’ You can eliminate it because it will not stand the follow- 
ing tests: 1. Can you up-root a growing plant, lay it aside for several 
months and then replant it? 2. Can you withhold moisture for a 
period of time without injury to the plant? Of course you can store 
a cabbage for a single season but while it is in the ground it must 
have water. In other words, it is the degree of drought resistant 
qualities which is so much greater in succulents than in other plants. 
To many people a plant with a ‘sticker’ is a cactus, yet we can 
show you cacti with true leaves, cacti without spines, succulents with 
vicious spine-like organs, and succulents with practically the same 
AREOLE 

QUALIFICATIONS OF A CACTUS 
Cacti are perennials. Seedlings of a cactus must have two or more seed-leaves 
(early leaves) as shown on the left. A cactus fruit showing the one-celled 
“berry” with no cell divisions between the seeds (center) the flowers are 
borne above the fruit. All cacti have areoles (shown on the right) from which 
spines, leaves (when present), new joints, and flowers grow. 
