The Cactus: A Prickly but beautiful companion
A cactus (plural: cacti, cactuses or cactus) with its  long  sharp spines  is a member of the plant family Cactaceae.
The prickly distinctive appearance of the plant  is a result of a variety of adaptations to conserve water  and enable it to survive in hot and dry environments.

Many Guyanese gardeners love the cactus  because it is a low maintenance plant. These spiny beauties,  it is said, thrive on neglect.

The  spines not only defend the cactus against herbivores but also provide shade that lowers the plant’s water loss through transpiration.
Cacti often have a waxy coating on their stems to prevent water loss and potentially repel water from their stems.
Because of the plants’ high water-retention ability, detached parts  can survive for long periods and then grow new roots from anywhere on the plant body when rain comes.
The cactus family is native to the Americas, where their range extends from Patagonia to southern Canada, but they are densest and most diverse in the regions of northern Mexico and the southern tropics of Argentina and Bolivia.
Among the remains of the Aztec civilization, cactus-like plants can be found in pictorial representations, sculpture and drawings, with many depictions resembling Echinocactus grusonii. Tenochtitlan (the earlier name of Mexico City) means “place of the sacred cactus.”
The coat of arms of Mexico shows an eagle perched on a cactus while holding a snake, an image which is at the center of the Aztec origin myth.
Cacti come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The tallest is Pachycereus pringlei, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m, and the smallest is Blossfeldia liliputiana, only about 1 cm in diameter at maturity.
Although cacti are adapted to hot deserts and other dry environments, most cacti evolved in mountainous areas and require moderate cold and/or cool night temperatures for some period of the year to initiate regular flowering.
In Guyana for example, the cactus is mostly found in the Pakaraima mountains.
Cultivated by people worldwide and locally, cacti  are a familiar sight as potted plants, houseplants or in offices  or in ornamental gardens in warmer climates.
Cacti is  used for fencing material in areas in some countries where there is a lack of either natural resources or financial means to construct a permanent fence.
This is often seen in arid and warm climates, such as the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
This is known as a cactus fence.
There, Cactus fences are often used by homeowners and landscape architects for home security purposes.
The sharp thorns deter unauthorized persons from entering private properties, and may prevent break-ins if planted under windows and near drainpipes.
Growing and propagating this unique plant  is relatively easy to do and can be quite rewarding.
Many Guyanese gardeners love the cactus  because it is a low maintenance plant.
Overwatering in particular should be avoided since it can cause  swelling or elongation of the plant and cause its death.
These spiny beauties,  it is said, thrive on neglect.