Cactus Coloring Pages
A cactus spine is really a leaf, just a very skinny, very stiff one. With no big leaves to lose water through, cacti can get by in places where it hardly ever rains, and then surprise everyone with bright flowers.
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A cactus and a dragon have a lot in common: spikes, a love of hot, dry places and no interest at all in being hugged. A dragon curled up in a cactus patch would have the perfect hiding spot for its treasure, because nobody wants to go digging through the spines.
Alpacas come from the high Andes of South America, so two of them standing in the desert have wandered a long way from home. Cacti do grow in the dry parts of the Andes though, so it's not as far-fetched as it sounds.
The cactus wren is the state bird of Arizona. It builds its nest inside spiny cacti, where hungry animals think twice about following.
An eagle sitting on a prickly pear cactus is the symbol at the center of Mexico's flag. Old stories say the Aztecs were told to build their city wherever they found that sight, and Mexico City stands on the spot today.
Nearly every Wild West picture has a saguaro in it, but these cacti only grow wild in the Sonoran Desert, mostly in Arizona and northwest Mexico. A cowboy in Texas wouldn't have found one growing there.
Cartoon Cactus Coloring Pages
Nobody wants to hug a cactus, which is probably why cartoon cacti always look so cheerful about it.
Cactus Adult Coloring Pages
Cacti come in more shapes than most people expect: tall columns, round barrels, flat paddles and tiny ones small enough to fit in a teacup.
Realistic Cactus Coloring Pages
Many cacti have ribs, those tall pleats running down the stem, that work like an accordion. After a rain the stem swells with water and the pleats spread out, and in a drought they fold back in.
Saguaro Cactus Coloring Pages
Fun Facts About Cacti:
- Some cacti live for 200 years or more. A giant saguaro can grow taller than a four-storey building, but it grows so slowly that it can be 50 years old or more before it sprouts its first arm.
- Thick stems hold water like a sponge, and shallow roots spread out wide so a cactus can drink up a rainfall in no time. The spines keep thirsty animals away and cast a little shade.
- Cactus flowers are some of the showiest in the desert, and many open at night for bats and moths to visit. The saguaro blossom, Arizona's state flower, opens after dark and is wilting by the next afternoon.