Cactus
![Picture](/uploads/8/8/4/7/88478520/editor/shutterstock-581162608.jpg?1512415439)
A desert is an area that receives less than ten inches of rain each year. That makes the climate very dry.
On this page, you will learn about cactuses of the Sonoran Desert. The famous Saguaro Cactus only grows here!
In the Sonoran Desert, the hot sun evaporates the little bit of the water that rains, so the desert stays very dry.
How do cactuses adapt to this dry environment?
On this page, you will learn about cactuses of the Sonoran Desert. The famous Saguaro Cactus only grows here!
In the Sonoran Desert, the hot sun evaporates the little bit of the water that rains, so the desert stays very dry.
How do cactuses adapt to this dry environment?
![Picture](/uploads/8/8/4/7/88478520/ls4-plants-89-728_orig.jpg)
A cactus has special roots that help it absorb water. The thick roots grow just below the surface of the soil, almost at the top. That way, when it rains, the roots are able to drink up the rainwater very quickly!
Instead of leaves, a cactus has sharp spines. These help protect the cactus from predators, but they also help keep water in the cactus! They provide shade from the sun so the cactus doesn't lose water. Spines also collect rain drops. When the rain drops fall from the spine onto the soil, the roots can soak the water up.