i cut one open and just poked myself. it was a waste of five bucks
2007-03-06 06:27:48 · 8 answers · asked by Lady Melee 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
I have opened a "barrel" cactus in both Arizona and New Mexico and after cutting off the exterior surface the white inner meat can be squeezed and there is a whole bunch of juice in there. I used a two gallon size cactus and got 2 canteens of liquid. Looks like cloudy water and is drinkable. It of course has a flavor of it's own and no too strong. It can save your life when you don't have real water. The smaller and different cactus plants have their share of liquid too although the bigger is better.
(They don't cost anything either - in the wild).
2007-03-06 06:45:53 · answer #1 · answered by norman8012003 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because they live in harsh enviroments a cactus can actually reserve the water it needs. The water will not pour out, but the pulp inside can be chewed, thus sucreting the water it's stored. Not a pretty site, but being hot in a desert isn't either. We all know, mostly from watching cartoons, that if you are stranded in the desert you can get water out of a cactus. However, the usual cartoon method for extracting it (pulling a spigot from one's pocket and inserting it into the cactus) is not likely to be successful in an actual dying-of-thirst situation.
We all know, mostly from watching cartoons, that if you are stranded in the desert you can get water out of a cactus. However, the usual cartoon method for extracting it (pulling a spigot from one's pocket and inserting it into the cactus) is not likely to be successful in an actual dying-of-thirst situation.
If you're lost in the desert, getting water is very, very, very important. You'll need to drink a pint of water every hour - and if the temperature is over 100F, make that a quart an hour. Urine, blood, saltwater, and booze are NOT recommended - all of these require more water to digest and/or excrete than they contain. (but don't despair - blood (not your own, dummy) is food, and fresh urine is a good antiseptic - so they are good for something!). One good way to require less water is to not eat so much. In fact, don't eat at all. But drink everything you can (don't ration your water - chug it!)
OK, so you're stranded, thirsty, and have nothing around but cacti. The proper way to do this is to cut off the top of a barrel cactus, and mash up the pulp (such as by chewing). Suck or pour out the liquid, but don't eat the pulp. Be aware that cutting open the cactus is going to be difficult if you don't have a machete. Also, be careful about the type of cactus. If you're outside the US, the cacti you encounter will almost certainly be the correct species; but within the US, there are many types of cacti and many are poisonous. Also, barrel cacti are protected by many state and park laws, so don't do it just for kicks.
2007-03-06 14:38:05 · answer #2 · answered by Peace 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cactus that grow in the desert store all of the water they get in the pads. They are plump with water, and if you were stranded in a desert somewhere (Heaven forbid) you could get the fluids your body would need from a cactus. I don't think the cacti you buy in a store are representative of the old ones that grow in their natural habitat. Have a great day! Annie
2007-03-06 14:34:21 · answer #3 · answered by Annie 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Cactus have never lost their leaves completely, they have only reduced its size so that they will reduce the surface area through which water can be lost by transpiration. Cactus have also developed spines which, in addition to allowing less water to evaporate through transpiration by shading the plant, as well as to defend the cactus against water-seeking animals. Cacti a fully-grown Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) can absorb up to 3,000 litres of water in ten days often have a waxy coating on their stems to prevent water loss.
2007-03-06 14:36:25 · answer #4 · answered by ripfreak 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it's not like there will be a mini-pool inside there and the water will come pouring out like in the cartoons. the cactus material itself has a high water content. if you ate the cactus you would get the water. it's like fruit that is really juicy. and just like fruits, there are some cacti that are "juicier" than others. the ones that live in the desert probably contain more water than the one in your house.
2007-03-06 14:36:41 · answer #5 · answered by ♥ it's katie 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
they mean if you are stranded in the desert you can eat cactus meat and you won't dehydrate, not that they are actually filled with water
2007-03-06 14:31:08 · answer #6 · answered by Rosie B 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
one out in the desert that has been around for a while. not the walmart $2 thing
2007-03-06 14:31:02 · answer #7 · answered by jenivive 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
if your cut off the outer layer of the plant including the spikes and eat the rest you will get your water
2007-03-06 14:30:52 · answer #8 · answered by links305 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋