A desert can go months with almost no rain. The sun is blazing hot and the ground is dry sand. Most plants would dry up fast!
But the cactus is a champion survivor. In the next few pages you'll discover its clever tricks — like a plant that packed the perfect desert survival kit. 🎒
Tap Next to begin your desert adventure!
A cactus is covered in a thick, waxy skin. Wax stops water from leaking out into the hot air, like a waterproof jacket keeps you dry in the rain — but in reverse!
Tap the button to see what happens without the waxy skin.
Try it twice — peel it off, then put it back on!
When rain finally comes, the cactus drinks fast and stores the water inside its fat, juicy stem. That's why cacti look so plump! The more it stores, the longer it can go without rain.
This full tank can last about 0 days without rain!
Slide it all the way to fill the cactus up. 💦
Normal plants have big flat leaves. Leaves are great for making food, but they lose LOTS of water in hot air. So the cactus swapped its leaves for thin, spiky spines.
Spines lose almost no water — and they also poke hungry animals so they can't eat the cactus and steal its water!
Which one loses less water in the hot desert?
Cactus roots are shallow but very wide, spreading out just under the sand. When rain falls, they grab as many drops as they can — fast — before the sun dries the ground.
Tap the falling raindrops to help the roots catch 8 drops! 💧
Look closely and a cactus has folds called ribs, like an accordion. When it fills with water, the ribs stretch open so it can hold even more. When water runs low, it shrinks back — without cracking.
Right now the cactus is thirsty and thin.
You now know the cactus's secret survival kit for the hot, dry desert:
All these tricks work together so the cactus can live where almost nothing else can. Well done, desert explorer! 🎉