They withstand a very wide temperature range, they move, create their own habitat, withdraw under the ground and cooperate with animals and other plants. Cactaceae and other succulents are extremely diverse groups of plants, that are perfectly adapted to their environment, which can mean that they are highly specialized on one niche habitat. This is one of the reasons cacti are among the most endangered plant species on the planet. This episode is all about the habitats, ecologies and amazing abilities of cacti and other desert plants.

Dr. Kim McCue shows us around in the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. This garden is not only amazingly beautiful, but site of an impressive research facility, glasshouses full of cacti, a huge herbarium and a seed photography lab.

Find the digitized parts of the collections online on SEINet

Music by the great Tadzio, check out their new album!!