Houston Domestics

Posts Tagged ‘plants in the desert’

Despite common belief, there are many varieties of desert plants that survive in arid conditions. These plants are hardy, surviving on little nourishment, a great deal of light, and conditions that would wilt or kill most living things. However, just because these plants can endure in an environment many creatures do not, desert plants do not necessarily make suitable house plants.

However, those who manage to raise desert plant indoors get the rewarding experience of nurturing a type of plant that many people do not usually get to see up close. These plants can serve as conversation starters, as well as adding a unique atmosphere to your home.

When you think of desert plants, the most common desert plant to come to mind is the cactus. Wild cacti can grow to several feet tall, and usually do not handle home life very well. Many require special greenhouses with artificial lighting to survive. Don’t be discouraged, there are cactus species that can be grown indoors for your enjoyment. These include the Acanthocalycium klimpelianum, the Acanthocalycium spiniflorum, the Acanthocalycium thionanthum v. variiflorum and the Acanthocalycium violaceum, as well as many other varieties. All of these cacti tend to be small, round in shape, and have one or several blossoms at the top of the plant. Like desert wildflowers, cacti require delicate care in order to survive. Unlike common belief, you cannot just neglect your cactus and water it infrequently. They need a certain amount of exposure to the sun, and scheduled watering. Without this, your plant will wither and die. Cacti are among some of the most difficult plants to keep in a home, so you will need to approach their care with caution.

If you are looking to keep desert plants in your home, there are a few key things that you need to keep in mind. Plants like the Apache Plume, the Arizona Poppy and the Blue Phacelia require a great deal of sunlight and warmth. While they can survive the cold spikes of the desert night, these plants need conditions that mimic the desert in order to survive. If you plan to keep any one of these flowers in your home, you should take care to provide them with a great deal of light and be wary of over-watering them.

By Making the decision to follow through with the challenging work of owning a desert plant, you will be able to enjoy your cacti and wildflowers for a long time to come.

Ever wonder how desert plants survive in such a harsh environment? It seems a near impossibility for anything to survive in an area with such hot and dry conditions during the day, sometimes freezing cold conditions at night, with salty soil and animal life in search of every drop of moisture they can get. But to live, the flora in these wastelands have developed a number of physical characteristics as well as behavioral practices that are simply amazing.

Take the Saguaro Cactus for example. These types of desert plants in general, the cacti, adapt in a number of general ways. Instead of the wide leaves their wet area brethren sport, cactus have thin needles to minimize water evaporation. Also, they generally have very thick trunks or stems that often appear to be bloated. This allows them to store moisture far from the surface, again protecting it from evaporation. But the Saguaro has two additional features. First, it begins life in the shade of a “nurse” tree or shrub, to protect it from the sun. Like people, then, it looks for the shade. It also grows very slowly, perhaps an inch each year, to a total of 15 feet high or more. Slow growth in the shade of a protector ensures the Saguaro will reach maturity, when it is more likely to withstand the vigors of desert living.

Many desert plants share standard adaptations. Xerophytes, such as the cacti and specifically the Saguaro Cactus, have the needles instead of leaves and share other methods of gathering and storing water. Phreatophytes are another type of plant that has adapted. They gather water with deep roots that reach all the way down to the water table. Two other general adaptations are important.

Many plants in the desert are perennials, that is plants that live for a number of years. These make it in the harsh climate by remaining dormant during the hottest and driest part of the year. They spring into action when water is available. By continuing this cycle they maintain long, healthy lives.

Another category of desert plants are the annuals, which live for only a season. Unlike the perennials whose strategy is to stick around for a long time, the annuals only bloom when conditions are right. Their lives are short, then, during these arid periods when they germinate and spread their seeds for the next generation.

The floor of the desert, in many areas, is thin with plant life. But with all of the specialized features and characteristics, the subject of desert plants is very thick.