Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Friday - February 25, 2005
From: London, Other
Region: Select Region
Topic: Cacti and Succulents
Title: How do cacti stay in ground
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
How do cacti stay in ground? I know that flowers stay in the ground by their roots but what about cacti?ANSWER:
Cactus have roots, too. Some have shallow spreading root systems and some have large tap roots or a cluster of tubers. An old night-blooming cereus (Peniocereus greggii) can have a very large tap root weighing as much as 100 pounds. to read more about cactus, you can visit the Cactus Museum web page. The cacti use their shallow roots to absorb water when it rains, but many of these roots may die when it becomes dry. Read about How Cactus Survive in the Desert.More Cacti and Succulents Questions
Can non-native Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) be grown in Round Rock, Texas?
July 01, 2014 - Can the Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) be grown in the Round Rock Texas area or is this area too hot for it?
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Native perennial winter plants for Waco, TX
November 03, 2004 - I live in the Waco area, and would like to know winter plants that I could use that would come back each year, flowering or otherwise.
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Yucca with halticotoma valida bugs in Burleson TX
April 18, 2010 - I have had Yucca plants in my yard for 10 years, but this year is the first time I have seen halticotoma valda, and there are thousands of them. How do I get rid of them? are they harmful to the plan...
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Dead leaves on yucca in Georgetown TX
October 18, 2010 - We have 2 6ft and 3 smaller soft leaf yuccas out back in a kidney shaped area with a wax myrtle and a mountain laurel. The yuccas have done great but now two of them have a large number of dead leaves...
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Moving Century plants in Norwalk CA
September 15, 2009 - I have two large Century plants that are each 10 1/2 years old. One is 4'x5' tall and wide with about 8-10 small shoots. The smaller in about 3 1/2'x 5' with about 6 shoots. They've grown too l...
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