Leaf cactus
- the ancestor of the more familiar leafless cacti.
At first glance, a leaf cactus resembles a tree rather than a cactus. This is because it is one of the few cacti that retain their leaves.
If you look closely at the stem, you can see the many spines that sit together in groups on small pads, exactly in the same way as on the leafless cacti. The flowers are also similar to those of other cacti.
Leaf cacti are considered a primitive type of cactus. The first cacti that arose in arid regions with the ability to withstand drought and lack of water resembled them. The more familiar leafless cacti all evolved from a leaf-cactus ancestor. Leaf cacti have retained early features, such as bark and leaves.
Fact box:
- Greenhouse location: Dessert house
- Danish name: Tornet trækaktus
- Latin name: Pereskia horrida
- Family: Cactus family / Cactaceae
- Natural habitat: Peru