Funny holidays - Cactus Farmer's Day

Hedgehogs, echidnas and porcupines use their spiny armor when attacked by predators. In the plant world, roses, rosehips and cacti have needles for protection. People use their fruits, flowers and pulp for various purposes - making jam from the petals, tea, mezcal and the famous Mexican tequila. The popularity of this alcoholic drink over time led to the disappearance of wild cacti and, in particular, blue agave in South America. An enterprising farmer, a certain Pedro Singanes, decided to cultivate the plant and began growing cacti on the property for sale to tequila producers. Other Mexicans followed his example. In honor of the initiative of Senor Singanes, Cactus Grower Day was established on April 23. The holiday is celebrated by lovers of perennial plants of the Cactaceae family on all continents. Easy-to-care cacti grow outdoors in California and Arizona, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Cuba. Desert varieties thrive at air temperatures of +60°C. In Russia and other northern countries, succulents take root well at home. Despite their harsh appearance and needles, cacti produce surprisingly delicate and beautiful flowers, the nectar of which in the wild is enjoyed by bats, hummingbirds and insects. In the deserted Sonorans of North America, giant saguaros grow up to 20 meters high. The largest cactus, the Californian giant, has a height of 33.4 m. The plant is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The oldest was discovered in Cuba - its age was 600 years. Saguaros, shaped like a candelabra, serve as a habitat for wild birds - the elf owl and other birds. The role of cacti in the ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert is so great that cutting down or damaging these unique plants is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Tequila and mezcal are made from the pulp of the plant, and jam is made from the fruits. A favorite delicacy of Mexicans is asitron: a dessert in the form of cactus slices in sugar syrup. The indigenous people of South America in ancient times and to this day used the plant's needles as surgical needles for suturing wounds. Traditional healers in Africa used the leaves, fruits and roots of cacti to treat diseases of the skin and internal organs. In Madagascar, prickly pears brought by the French from Mauritius were planted near fortresses and used as a security barrier against native raids. Cacti, which appeared on Earth 30-35 million years ago, are considered exotic plants. They grow slowly in central Russia and bloom extremely rarely. Succulents are grown at home because of their unpretentiousness and healing properties - ionization of indoor air. Cacti are placed near a computer monitor or TV, because they are believed to absorb electromagnetic radiation. Although there is no scientific evidence for this, gardeners still love succulents and share their breeding experiences and photographs of their rare blooms. And on April 23, all fans of cereus, prickly pear, echinopsis and other representatives of the Cactaceae family celebrate Cactus Farmer's Day.