Native mostly to America, these are succulent plants known for their high resistance to drought and direct sun exposure.

They have 3 distinct parts: stem, areole, and spines.

The stem serves to store water and can be columnar, globular, or cladode (flattened) in shape.

The areole is a distinctive vegetative structure of cacti where all plant growth occurs, maintaining two growth zones: flowers are produced in the upper part and spines in the lower part.

The spines are modified leaves that help minimize water loss and also have a protective effect against predators.

Cactus flowers are usually quite large and showy.