| -By Geeta Pathak, Deepti Singh and Santosh Kumar Department of Horticulture, G.B.P.U.A. T., Pantnagar |
| When we talk about cactus the first image that comes to our mind is of an ugly creature with lot of spines which many a times would have prickled our fingers. Many people often call them a burden on the land. But, do these people know that these ugly creatures are the state flower of Arizona? Don't raise your eyebrows. It's true. Cacti are perhaps the most bizarre of desert plants that God created. Cacti have such peculiar beauty and attraction of their own imparted by strange morphological characteristic of plant and often by unique beauty of flowers hardly paralleled by any other in the plant kingdom. The unique and the infinite variation in shape, size and colour of areoles and spines make the plant look curious and interesting. It's not only that cacti are curious and interesting; they can be very decorative house plant as well. Cacti are indeed very useful to the wildlife living in desert areas. Cacti withstand long period without water. It can be cultivated by anyone who loves beauty and brightness forming a never ending source of satisfaction and happiness. The Cactacea have a unique and interesting biology, yet only a few scientists have done research to unravel their remarkable mechanism of growth and survival in harsh and stressful environment. Most research publications are unavailable to industrial and scientific policy makers worldwide. Resources are generally allocated to well known, well established commercial crops while the opportunities for new crops such as cactus remains obscure. The cactaceae not only have a special significance to countries where water is a major limiting factor and where desertification has taken a toll, but also offer an economic opportunity to entrepreneurs willing to develop new consumer tastes capitalizing on the increasing worldwide acceptance of cactus products. Cactus got its name from the Greek word "kaktos," meaning thistle. |
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The English translation of this word is "cactus." Although people have taken cactus seeds all over the world, these exotic plants originated in America, Canada and in the humid rain forests of South America. Areoles are the characteristic structure which separate cacti from other succulents. These are cushion like structure arranged over the stem from which buds, flowers, fruits, spines, glochids emerge.
Uses of cacti : Cacti are not merely ornamental plants but have several economic uses also. Cacti are utilized by local people in America and India. Fruits are eaten fresh, dried or are fermented as alcoholic beverages and flour is prepared from the seeds. The fruits of edible Opuntia are used for making marmalade. Young stems, flower buds and flowers of Opuntia basiliana are eaten as vegetable by local Indians of southwest and north America after cooking. Fleshy shoots of many Opuntia is used as salad. Juicy flesh of many cacti is of great importance for cattle to quince their thirst. Spineless Opuntia are used as fodder. Cacti are used as sources of not only food, drink and medicine, but for making toys as well. Woody ribs of Carnegilea gigantea are used for making frames for hut in dry region where timber is scarce. Ash of Lemaireocereus griseum is used locally in Venezuela as potassium fertilizer. One use is to produce Cochineal, a natural red dye used in cosmetics industry in making lipstick.
How cacti adapt in desert : The unknown ancestors of cacti after growing for centuries in progressively drier regions modified their structure to reduce transpiration and retain moisture for longer period in their body. This slowed down their growth, thickened sap and enlarged their stem greatly to store more water. Their branches and twigs got reduced to spines and leaves diminished to invisible scale or discarded all together for spines. Their green stem carried the process of photosynthesis, instead of leaves. To protect them from hot sunny weather, plant external surface develops waxy coat, which are sometimes covered with hair or spines for shade and for retarding evaporation of stored water. Along with structural adaptation, physiological adaptations also took place. Continued reduction of stems and development of tissues for storing water often resulted in spiny columns, globes and thick pads or joints. By such mysterious way, nature has given us this unusual type of plant of unbelievable variations. The fascinating cactus family Cactaceae is divided into three tribes. Pereskieae, Opuntieae and Cereae. The nearest approach to the ordinary plant type is Pereskieae. In this tribe, plants are leafy, bushes or shrubby. They are distinguished from other plant by their areoles on the stem and by the typical flowers they produce. The other group is Opuntieae characterized by the presence of glochid. The Cereae is the largest of the three and is subdivided into 8 subtribes. The plants of this tribe are ribbed, fleshy, columnar or globular. Glochids are generally absent.
Housing of cacti Cacti can be grown in wide range of climate and soil. For successful cultivation however these plants depend on proper temperature, light, moisture and soil.
Light : The desert cacti love sunshine. Cacti grown under shade become lanky and often fails to flower or flower sparsely. Desirous for all cacti is the exposure to morning sun.
Temperature : Temperature range of 26.5 - 300C during day and 15.5- 210C in the night are optimum for luxuriant growth of cacti.
Ventilation : All cacti requires good ventilation. Proper ventilation should be maintained throughout the year. A close and damp environment is detrimental to plant.
Soil and fertilizers : A good soil mixture suitable for all cacti is obtained by mixing equal parts of farmyard manure, sand and sandy loam soil. Commercial fertilizer NPK in 4:12:4 ratio is often added to better flower qualities to the soil mixture.
Planting and potting : The best time of planting cacti is in spring. The pots are filled 1/3 with broken earthen pieces and remaining part is filled with soil mixture (compost) leaving 2.5 cm. Watering: In nature cacti are adapted to severe drought. Correct watering has more to do with success than any other factor. In cultivation, over watering is more dangerous than less watering as By seeds: For raising new varieties seeds are used. The most appropriate time for sowing seeds is in June- July in hills and March- April in plains. For cacti seed germination warmth is essential. Day temperature of 21-260C and 16-200C is necessary for proper germination. Seeds are sown in flat shallow boxes and must be covered with polythene to prevent entry of light until they germinate. Seedlings are ready for transplanting in July- October and in Feb- March.
Cutting : For rapid multiplication of rootstock this method is best. 12-15 cm long cutting are taken from the apical portion and dried in the shade to prevent rotting. After this cutting are planted in compost, in the month of March and September.
Grafting : This is the excellent method for commercial propagation of cacti and also for raising novelties. The most suitable time for grafting is March-September.
Cacti in indoor gardening For indoor garden these plant have become necessity. Harmonious shape of these plants and geometrical design of their spines blend well with modern architecture and furniture. It is less costly to decorate interior of room with these plants as compared to flower which are becoming costlier day by day and are to be replaced frequently. On the other hand with little care a well chosen cactus plant will continue to decorate a room for a longer period of time. Different mode of growing cacti in indoor are:
Dish garden : A dish garden of cacti makes a miniature scene. In such a lilliputian landscape, plant are easy to care for and because they grow slowly and thus can stay in same container for years. Dish garden of cacti is meant for decorating T.V., Radio, Dinning table and Tea table. Plant should be dwarf like Astrophytum asterias, A. ornatum, Cephalocereus sylvestrii, Echinocereus engelmanii, Gymnocalyciums, Lobivias, Mammillaria elongata, Notocactus, Opuntia microdasys.
Window : It is a novel method of gardening and is ideally suited for congested cities and flat dwellers. Cacti pots are kept in room just opposite or close to the window or in window sill outside. Compact plants like Astrophytum, Cephalocereus, Mammillaria bocasana, Notocactus, Opuntia basilaris, Rhipsalis paradoxa are best suited.
Decorative pot plants : Although Philodendron and Scheffleras have been favorite decorative plants for years cacti have been neglected. Yet they offer more beauty than most plant and are easier to grow. These are meant for display in terrace, roof garden, backyard and veranda.
Hanging basket : A lovely, trailing cactus in a handsome container adds beauty to a setting. They can be placed in the hall or in the drawing room beside a well lit window. A plain wall in a sunny room or a passage can be artistically decorated with hanging baskets.
Outdoor gardening
Rock garden : It has come to exist in parks and garden out of our desire to enjoy a mountain range. Cacti are important component of these rock garden. Hardy cacti with unique beauty of flower and infinite variation in shape size and colour of spines and areoles can be grown to provide spectacular effect throughout the year.
Terrace and patio : Any terrace or patio become beautiful when decorated with container plant. These containers can be arranged in different manner to create an attractive design.
Cactus garden : Beautiful landscape design can be created by using only cacti. Even large garden and parks can be laid out with these strange plants. Cacti especially in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida have turned many ordinary gardens to dramatic landscape. In India cactus garden situated in Panchkula is considered as Asia's largest garden of its kind with nearly 2,000 cacti species. Cactaceae not only have a special significance to countries where water is a limiting factor and where desertification has taken a toll, but also offer economic opportunities to every entrepreneur willing to develop new consumer taste capitalizing on the increasing world wide acceptance of cactus products. Difficult housing conditions, busy schedules limit the modern plant lovers to devote maximum time for gardening. For such plant lovers cacti are appropriate; there is hardly any other plant family that makes lesser demands than do cacti. These plants are versatile and durable and are superb indoors or outdoor, since they do not require pruning or frequent attention, as do most trees and shrubs. They are neither difficult to maintain nor demanding and even in limited space one can grow and enjoy cactus beauty and diversity. |
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