Not all color in the garden must come from flowers. While many gray-leaved or variegated perennials and shrubs offer contrast and interest, some of the most exquisite color and contrast in a desert garden come from cacti.
The thin, delicate skin of a cactus ranges from light to dark green and shades of gray to nearly blue. Their spines often provide vivid contrast to the body of the plant and though fierce-looking, are often one of the most beautiful parts of a cactus. Some cacti have papery coverings or long fine hairs surrounding their spines?some are even known as ?old man? cactus?and this enhances their beauty even further.
When, how much, and whether or not to water a cactus baffles many gardeners new to the deserts. Like all living plants, cacti need water to survive, but the trick is in understanding the special way they store and use it. Cacti take up water through their roots continuously when the soil is moist and will continue to do so until the skin breaks if there is too much soil moisture. Therefore, it is important to space waterings at long intervals so that the soil has time to dry out somewhat between waterings.