The Evolutionary Adaptations of Desert Cacti & Jungle Cacti
- Emily Saul
- May 23, 2022
- 1 min read
Follow along as we explore the different adaptations these cacti have developed in response to their environments 🌞
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Follow along as we explore the different adaptations these cacti have developed in response to their environments 🌞
This is such a fascinating breakdown — I never really thought about how differently desert cacti and jungle cacti have adapted until I started struggling with my own Rhipsalis versus my barrel cactus! It's honestly a bit like studying competition in business; when you learn how to apply Porter's Five Forces, you realize every player evolves strategies based on the pressures unique to their environment — and plants do the exact same thing. Desert cacti armored up with thick skin and spines to fight off threats, while jungle cacti leaned into partnership with their lush surroundings instead. I killed two Christmas cacti before I finally understood they needed indirect light and humidity, not the bright sunny windowsill I'd been torturing…