I have just gone in to my bathroom to ?? well for the reasons you go into a bathroom and we have a cactus on our windowsill, its supposed to be decor and look good but really it just waits for when you are not looking and SPIKES you, these things hurt like hell and when you try to pluck it out the thing only snaps leaving half in your arm. I know everyone will say chuck it but i have and my hubby brings it out of the bin and would probably buy a new one even if I cremated it. SOOOO?? The Question is WHY do cactus have spikes? AND has anyone got any freaky stories like me how they get you in some weird places around your home
The spikes (needles) are part of the cactus' protective mechanism to prtect it from marauding desert animals seeking water. The needles stop animals from simply biting the cactus and consuming the water it stores.
If stranded in a desert with no source of water, always slice open a cactus...IF you can get past all those little pricks!
My son had a cactus on his windowcill for over 10 years. It would often get me when opening the window. Even so I gave it a dribble of water twice a year and it slowly grew into an 8" phallic symbol. When packed to move I noticed its blue pot was empty. My son had cruelly lobbed it into the wheelie bin. He said he wasn't going to travel with it because it would hurt. He took the pot tho saying it would make a great giant ashtray.
I foolishly grabbed a prickly pear on holiday once (even tho I've seen Jungle Book umpteen times). Now that is painful.
last week i knocked a cactus off a windowsill, you know when you drop something, your instinct is to try and catch it? well my reflex was like lightning.........ouch!