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How does a cactus get water?

Updated: 10/8/2023
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8y ago

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A cactus gets its water from its roots. Whatever moisture is available in soil may be taken in by the cactus plant's shallow roots, and sent up to the stem for the photosynthetic interaction with the sun. A cactus also gets its water from the pores in its stem. The pores accept moisture in the form of water vapor.

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14y ago
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14y ago

The cactus plant gets water through the cooperation of three main body parts. One are the modified leaves in the form of thorns, spines, spikes, quills, prongs, needles, hairs, or bristles. These leaves channel any available moisture - be it dew, fog, or rainfall - down to the ground immediately around the cactus plant. The drops are taken into the soil, to be added to the water table or taken in by the plant's roots.

Another of the three cooperating cactus body parts are precisely the plant's spreading, shallow, fibrous roots. The roots are close to the surface to have first claims on any moisture seeping into the ground. They're spread out to anchor the cactus, but also to carry out their search over a wide area.

The search for soil moisture is an effective and efficient strategy. Moisture exists below ground no matter what's going on above ground. And a cactus plant is an expert at identifying and capturing that moisture. That's why cactus plants need to avoid being in close quarters with each other. Otherwise, they end up fighting over water rights.

Still another of the three cooperating cactus body parts is the plant's stem. The stem has the responsibility for moving, processing and storing water and watery products and solutions. In many herbaceous plants, storage is the responsibility of the roots, and processing the responsibility of the leaves. But the cactus puts all of the responsibilities in one place, where they're most needed, in the stem.

The stem is aided in its responsibilities by an internal structure that abounds with fleshy, juicy storage tissues. It also is aided by breathing pores, or stomata, that tend to be located on the leaves in most herbaceous plants. But on the cactus stem, they keep water loss to a minimum. They have guard cells on either sides of their openings onto the world. Those guard cells monitor the escape of gases from the inside, and the entry of gases from the outside.

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14y ago

One way in which a cactus plant produces water is by the exit of its inside water supplies through the openings of the stem's stomata, or breathing pores. That doesn't happen often. But when it does, it's called transpiration.

Another way is by the specialization of its interior tissues. The tissues of the cactus plant's stem are fleshy and juicy. So they're sources of water. But that water may be stored in a bitter or even toxic form.

Still another way is by the working of its growth buds. The budding flowers, fruits, and seeds are all succulent sources of water.

Yet another way is by the release of its exudates. Exudates are a plant's waste products. They're let loose into the soil, to feed such soil food web members as bacteria, fungi, nematodes and protozoa.

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13y ago

you water a cactus with water just like you would any plant

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11y ago

buy the thorn of the cactus... it holds the water in the large vacule

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15y ago

CUT IT OPEN

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11y ago

yes

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Q: How does a cactus get water?
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What is cactus water?

It's water from a cactus! The cactus has collected that water!x


What is the diet of the cactus wren?

cactus and cactus water


Where does a cactus store water if it doesn't have leaves?

A cactus stores water in its stem.


Where in the saguaro cactus is the water held?

Water is stored in tissue in the stem of the cactus.


Can you drink water from cactus?

no because you wouldn't be able to go inside the cactus


why can't cactus grow in a marshy area?

Because a cactus can't grow in clayey soil and there is a lot of water in the marshes, the cactus does not need a lot of water


Does the barrel cactus have water?

The barrel cactus stores water in is spongy interior tissues but does not have a water reservoir of water.


How can you determine how much water a cactus can hold?

Find a cactus that has nearly died of thirst and weigh it.Water the cactus until it stops absorbing water. Weigh the cactus again. Subtract the new weight from the original weight. That tells you how much water the cactus has absorbed.


How do cactus save water?

Cactus have a waxy layer on them to prevent water loss and reduce transpiration


Where does a cactus store most of its water?

A cactus stores most of its water in its stem or body


How much of the cactus is water?

How much of the cactus plant is water depends upon the size of the cactus and the amount of water in moving, processing and stored forms. But no matter the cactus' size and regardless of how much or little water that it holds, the cactus devotes over 90% of its inside body parts to handling, circulating and building up supplies of water.


What does a cactus in the desert compete for?

A cactus competes with other plants for water.