nature animals · Ages 6-8

The Cactus That Saved Water for a Long Dry Wait

A cactus stores water in thick stems, uses spines for protection and shade, and opens pores mostly when air is cooler.

The whole story

1. At sunrise, a young saguaro stood beside a dry desert wash with one flower bud held high. It was waiting for the next rain.

2. By noon, the wash was a pale ribbon of sand. Hot wind brushed the saguaro, and the flower bud stayed closed.

3. The sun climbed higher. Spines along the saguaro’s ribs made tiny patches of shade, while their sharp tips kept hungry nibblers away from its soft skin.

4. Under the green ribs, thick stems held water from an earlier rain. The saguaro kept that water close while the desert stayed dry.

5. When the air cooled after sunset, the saguaro opened tiny pores in its skin. It took in air during the cool hours, when less water would slip away.

6. One hot week followed another. The flower bud drooped toward the shade, but the saguaro stayed upright and saved what it had.

7. Then, before sunrise, cool rain began to fall. The dry wash darkened, and the flower opened to the quiet, silver morning.

8. By morning, the desert smelled of wet earth. The saguaro had made it through the long dry wait, and its secret was clear: A cactus stores water in thick stems, uses spines for protection and shade, and opens pores mostly when air is cooler.

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