Black Lace Cactus Habitat Requirements

Habitat Dangers

• Rangeland and brushland areas of south Texas support the black lace cactus. In grows in open grassland areas. It can also be found thriving in the shade created by heavy brush. The invasive tendencies of mesquite can overtake the cacti's natural habitat. The black lace cactus grows 1 to 6 inches tall. It has white spines that have purple tips. From April to June the cactus produces 3-inch-wide pink or purple flowers. The beauty of the cacti often entices humans to dig up the endangered species. Cattle and feral hogs often kick over the cacti and cause damage. Non-native fire ants also pose a significant threat to the cacti's root system and base.

Elevation and Temperature

• The cactus survives in a semi-arid region that as an annual temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. It grows at an elevation of 10 to 196 feet. It grows best in saline clay soil or soil that contains a mixture of clay, powdery silt sand and gravel, known as silt sheets. The habitat of the cacti has a flat appearance and is not particularly hilly.

Water

• The known populations of the black lace cactus occur within about 1,000 feet of a water source such as a river or creek, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The cacti survives on a annual rainfall of 28 to 30 inches. The rain that falls pools across the soil's surface, giving it a slightly flooded appearance before sinking into the soil's depth.

Propagation

• Pollination of the black lace cactus occurs from bees and wasps. After flowering, the cacti produces oval fruit that contain seeds. When the small, green fruit ripens, the seeds are released. Rainfall to the region washes the seeds off the cacti and into the soil. The seed's germination occurs close to the parent plant. Because the seeds are not widely dispersed, the black lace cactus usually grows in large bunches. The Texas Parks & Wildlife lists Kleberg, Jim Wells, and Refugio counties of south Texas as areas with known populations of black lace cacti.