Opuntia cochenillifera

CACTUS AND SUCCULENT CARE: Cactus and Succulents come in thousands of sizes, shapes, colors and textures, and encompass a number of plant families.  While classified Cactus are their own family, made up of about 125 genera and nearly 2,000 known species, succulent species can be found in a number of different plant families, including Cactus, Crassula, Euphorbia and Dracaena.While Cactus are native to the Americas, from Patagonia to western Canada, Succulents can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Cactus and Succulents both have adapted ways to preserve, store and use water.  A succulent is defined by "a plant with thick, fleshy and swollen stems and/or leaves, adapted to dry environments."  All succulents have the ability to take in and store water, since they are from areas of the world that rainfall is scarce.   When we think about Cactus and succulents, we think that they do not need to be watered often.  In some ways, this is true, but in some others, it is the opposit