I’ve heard it has something to do with conditions, but this seems counterintuitive since the desert conditions are much harsher (hotter, drier) than those in my house, so if anything you’d think it would require less water.
In: Biology
Cacti are native to the Americas, most of them to Mexico and the Southwestern United States.
Desserts in these areas aren’t sandy dune deserts like the ones we see in movies, but rather rocky deserts. The dirt is dry or hard packed, and there are extensive areas of above ground exposed rock with no soil covering it.
These conditions already make it hard for most plants to grow and ensure there is very little water ever in the topsoil, making it all but impossible for plants that aren’t adapted just for the task. But they still get water pretty frequently through rain, it just doesn’t stay in the soil where plants can reach it.
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