The Life of a Cactus by Ellery

Do you know why some cactuses have spines? Well it's because the cactus needs something to protect its fruit from getting eaten by the animals. It also provides shade for the cactus. Some animals use cactuses to hide and be protected from their enemies because cactuses have sharp spines. All types of animals feed on the stems and flowers of the cactus plants. Some humans eat cactuses and the flowers that grow on them.

There are many different kinds of cactuses. Some are commonly known as the saguaro, prickly pear, barrel, the organ pipe, old man, cholla, etc. Cactuses grow in hot places like Mexico, the southern and western United States, Central America, and the Andes Mountains. And because they live in such hot places, the ribs of the cactus store water to keep them from getting too hot. Cactuses grow in many shapes and sizes. They can grow as tall as 60 feet. Some cactuses are less than one inch. My topic connects to our science class because we talked about adaptations and soon we will be talking about plants. I chose cactuses because I thought it would be a fun topic and I don't know much about cactuses and I wanted to learn more! Here's where I got my information.