Cacti are a group of succulent plants belonging to the family Cactaceae. These unique plants are commonly found in desert areas and are known for their waxy, spiny leaves and shapes.
But is a cactus actually a tree or plant? The answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Technically, they’re neither trees nor plants – they’re succulents. Just like other succulents such as aloe vera, agave, and Haworth, which have thicker-than-normal leaves that store water, cacti have developed certain adaptations to survive in arid locations.
Their stems are thick, fleshy, and full of stored water, while their leaves are reduced to spines or, in many cases, non-existent so that moisture is not lost due to evaporation. While trees and plants tend to lose all their foliage during winter months, cacti won’t shed any leaves even throughout severe drought periods – this trait has contributed to the misconception that they may be considered a tree or shrub rather than a plant.
Ultimately, cacti can be classified as both – since it shares qualities from both plant and tree categories, it is often referred to as an ‘arborescent type.’ Evergreen cacti will remain green year round due to their modified stems allowing them more photosynthetic capability than other types of succulent plants, enabling them to produce new growth in conditions that may leave other plants disabled.