The desert prickly-pear, known to botanists as Opuntia phaeacantha, is the Southwest's most widespread and abundant species of cactus. Unlike the giant saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) that is restricted ...

Saguaro Park in southeastern Arizona, near Tucson, offers a landscape unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere. The park hosts ...

Scientists discovered how to study cactus movement without harm - by measuring the silent sway of these desert giants using ...

A new study shows that demand for wild cactus and rare plants many soon surpass supply in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico and the US. Gland, Switzerland – Demand for wild cactus and rare plants by ...

As the holiday draws near, garden centers and grocery stores fill up with brightly blooming plants called Christmas cactus. But many of these colorful plants are actually a close cousin, the ...

Signaling the end of spring, smoke trees in the desert washes become dotted with tiny bluish-purple blooms at the beginning of summer each year. The color is deep and distinct and has been revered by ...

With their tough skins, pointy armor and legendary stamina, cacti are made to defend themselves from whatever nature throws at them. But large solar energy facilities are one threat that cacti weren’t ...

Many desert animals make use of the wide variety of cholla found within the desert environment. The fleshy fruits are a source of both food and moisture for many species of mammals. Birds find the ...

With their tough skins, pointy armor and legendary stamina, cacti are made to defend themselves from whatever nature throws at them. But large solar energy facilities are one threat that cacti weren’t ...