Why can’t cacti grow in the desert of Xinjiang?

A travel buddy in his 50s told me: There are wild cacti everywhere in the American desert, but these cacti are extremely poisonous. Do not eat them even if you are dying of thirst, because if you accidentally eat them, you are likely to suffer from hallucinations, and eventually get lost in the desert and die.

But what he found most incredible was that the cacti that were everywhere in the deserts of the United States could not survive in the deserts of Xinjiang, because he had traveled through the deserts for more than 10 years and had never seen a single cactus in Xinjiang. So why can't cacti grow in the deserts of Xinjiang? What would happen if you eat wild cacti?

About Cactus

Cactus is a "mobile water source" in the desert. It is said that a 15-meter-tall giant wild cactus can store more than 2 tons of water. This is because the leaves of the cactus are thorn-shaped, the transpiration area is very small, and their branches and stems are thick, with strong water storage capacity, which causes water loss to be very slow.

The reproductive ability of cactus is very terrifying. According to historical records, in 1802, a British plant expert planted a large number of cacti in Australia in order to prevent the degradation of Australian pastures. However, he completely underestimated the reproductive ability of cacti. Unexpectedly, only 100 years later, the area of ​​cacti in Australia reached more than 240,000 square kilometers, which is almost the same as the current area of ​​the United Kingdom.

Such an rampant cactus has made large tracts of land uncultivable and ungrazed, so the local government has invested a lot of money to completely eradicate the cactus, but with little success. Finally, they had to introduce their natural enemy, the cactus moth, to ease the spread of the cactus.

In addition, in Mexico cactus is also called "green gold" because it is not only edible, but can also be refined into a clean energy source at a price of US$0.8 per liter, which is one-third cheaper than ordinary gasoline. The water produced during the refining process can also be used to irrigate farmland, and the residue can also be used as fertilizer, which is of immeasurable value.

What happens if you eat cactus?

There are many species of cactus plants, with more than 1,000 species worldwide, which are divided into edible, ornamental and poisonous types. Generally speaking, most of the cacti we usually come into contact with are non-toxic or have very weak toxicity, while many wild cacti are poisonous, and if accidentally ingested, they may be life-threatening.

However, some artificially cultivated cacti are still edible. For example, Mexico regards cacti as food and fruit, with an average annual consumption of 12 kilograms per person. The ways of eating them include charcoal grilling and salad. The thorns and hard skin are removed before eating, which is said to prevent poisoning. It is very particular.

In addition, cactus is the favorite of camels. Because camels want to replenish water in the desert, they can only eat cacti that are rich in water. For this reason, camels have evolved rough mouths and tongues, and have grown hard papillae on both sides of their mouths to avoid being stabbed by cacti. Camels are also very resistant to toxins and generally will not be poisoned.

It is worth mentioning that many people believe that cactus can absorb computer radiation, which is unscientific because computer radiation is a kind of energy wave that travels in a straight line and no substance can absorb it. Moreover, computer radiation does not cause much harm to the human body.

Why don’t cacti grow in the desert of Xinjiang?

Cactus is native to the American continent and is mainly distributed in mountainous and desert areas. It is light-loving and drought-tolerant, and is suitable for growing in neutral and slightly alkaline soils. However, cactus cannot grow in the Xinjiang desert. There are three main reasons for this.

1. The soil in Xinjiang’s desert is not suitable for cactus growth

The total area of ​​China's deserts is about 710,000 square kilometers, while the total area of ​​Xinjiang's deserts is about 430,000 square kilometers, accounting for 60% of China's total desert area. In particular, Xinjiang's Taklimakan Desert (340,000 square kilometers) is not only the largest desert in China, but also the world's second largest mobile desert.

The environment of the Taklimakan Desert is also very harsh, with strong winds and endless sand dunes. The average annual precipitation is only 5 mm at the lowest and no more than 100 mm at the highest, while the evaporation is as high as 3,000 mm. Therefore, only plants with abnormally developed root systems such as Populus euphratica can survive.

So why can't cacti grow here? Because cacti like light, are drought-tolerant, and can only grow in neutral or slightly alkaline soils, but the desert soil in Xinjiang is seriously salinized and is not suitable for the growth and development of cacti.

In addition, although the roots of cactus are widely distributed, they are not deep, generally only about 10 centimeters. They cannot absorb water at all in the desert of Xinjiang, and can only dry up and die.

2. The winter in Xinjiang is so cold that cacti cannot survive

Xinjiang is located deep inland, far away from the ocean, and has a temperate continental climate. The temperature is very high during the day, but when there is no light at night, the temperature becomes very low, resulting in a huge temperature difference between day and night. In many places, the temperature difference even exceeds 10 degrees.

Moreover, there is a big temperature difference between summer and winter in Xinjiang. The summer is hot, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, but the winter is cold, with temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees. Especially in the deserts of Xinjiang, it is extremely cold, and many cold-not resistant plants cannot survive, including cacti.

Because cacti like light and are afraid of cold, they have very poor cold resistance and can only survive in tropical and subtropical deserts, such as the arid areas on the east coast of Mexico and northern South America. The winters in these places are very warm and the locals may never have seen snow in their entire lives.

It can be said that cold weather is the biggest obstacle to the growth of cacti in the Xinjiang desert. Therefore, even hikers with more than 10 years of hiking experience will not encounter cacti in the Xinjiang desert.

3. Cactus cannot prevent wind and sand, so it is not worth planting

Land desertification is one of the most serious ecological crises in the world, and my country is one of the countries most affected by desertification. However, with the improvement of our governance capabilities, the area of ​​desertification in my country is gradually decreasing. Some places have even turned directly from deserts into oases, which is a miracle.

The most important means of desert control is biological control. Simply put, it is to plant a large number of sand-loving plants, such as Populus euphratica and Calligonum mongolica, and take advantage of their fast growth rate and deep root system to increase the roughness of the ground, reduce the surface wind speed, and ultimately achieve the purpose of windbreak and solidification.

However, although cacti are the most famous plants in the desert, they grow slowly, especially in arid environments. They have shallow roots and are not wind-resistant. They can be easily blown down by strong winds. They also have many thorns on their bodies, making them very troublesome to plant.

Moreover, the shape of cactus is mostly columnar, which is very different from lush plants like poplar. It is not ideal in terms of wind protection and has weak greening function. It is only suitable as an ornamental plant and there is no need to waste time transplanting it.

What are the common plants in Xinjiang desert?

Xinjiang is a vast country with abundant resources. The deserts in Xinjiang also have many unique plants. They have lived in the desert for a long time and are the unique symbol of the Xinjiang desert, making the Xinjiang desert full of a different kind of "vitality".

1. Medicinal watermelon

The medicinal watermelon is a species of the Cucurbitaceae family. It looks very similar to ordinary watermelons and is mainly milky white in color. It looks very appetizing, but if you really think so, you are wrong, because the medicinal watermelon is highly toxic and can even be made into a pesticide. Once someone accidentally eats it, the consequences are extremely serious.

However, although medicinal watermelons are highly toxic, they have many uses. For example, some herdsmen living in the desert like to squeeze the medicinal watermelons into juice and then make it into a purely natural pesticide, which is said to have a particularly good insecticidal effect.

2. Calligonum sutchuenensis

Calligonum is a shrub that can reach a height of 1.5 meters. It is distributed in eastern Xinjiang and western Gansu. It generally grows on moving sand dunes and rocky terrain. After blooming, it can produce a large number of fruits, and the flowers are extremely beautiful.

The mongolica is also a pioneer in windbreak and sand fixation. It has a well-developed root system, dense branches, and strong drought resistance. It can survive in extremely arid desert areas and is a rare desert treasure.

3. Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is a typical deciduous shrub that can reach a height of 1.5 meters. It has very low requirements for soil and can survive in any soil. It is also extremely resistant to cold and heat. It is the type of plant with the lowest temperature requirement. It is said that the survival temperature is between 50 degrees Celsius and minus 50 degrees Celsius, which shows how strong its vitality is.

Not only that, sea buckthorn is also rich in nutrients. Their roots, stems, leaves, and flowers are rich in active substances, so it has the reputation of "King of Vitamin C". Their fruits also have certain medicinal value and have many special effects.

4. Red willow

Red willow is also known as Tamarix multi-branched. It is brown-red in color and has triangular conical fruits. It is one of the most widely distributed plants in my country's deserts. Its branches are slender and tough, making it a good firewood and construction material. The green leaves of red willow can also be used as medicine, so it is very popular among local farmers.

Although red willows look a bit strange, their greening value is very high because they have strong drought resistance and a very high crown, which can reach 6 meters. They are very good sand-control plants.

5. Camel thorn

Camel thorn is a leguminous plant, a semi-shrub, only 40 cm tall. There are many thorns on the branches of camel thorn. When the wind blows, they will pierce their leaves and flow out juice that is sweeter than honey. This juice attracts many camels to taste it, so it is called camel thorn.

Camel thorn generally grows in deserts and Gobi, and is mainly distributed in Xinjiang, Gansu, Kazakhstan and other places. They have strong ability to break wind and fix sand, and play a very important role in inhibiting grassland degradation.

What places in China are suitable for the survival of wild cacti?

According to the "Miscellaneous Notes of Lingnan", cactus was introduced to China by the Dutch in 1645 and was widely cultivated in Yunnan and other places. It became a common biological community in dry and hot river valleys and has been multiplying to this day. The Hengduan Mountains is the largest gathering place of wild cactus.

The Hengduan Mountains are located in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is one of the youngest mountain ranges on Earth. The terrain is high in the north and low in the south, with an average altitude of about 4,500 meters. Influenced by the monsoon, the climate is mild, with long sunshine and high evaporation, which is more suitable for the survival of wild cacti. It is the favorite place for wild cacti.

In summary:

Although Xinjiang is full of deserts, cacti cannot grow there because the soil in Xinjiang is not suitable for the growth of cacti and the winters are very cold, making it impossible for cacti to survive. Cacti also do not have the properties of preventing wind and fixing sand, so they cannot survive in the Xinjiang desert.

Source: Cosmic Decoding