16 Cactus Coloring Pages
Cacti are built for dry places. Their thick stems store water, their spines are actually modified leaves that shade the plant and protect it, and many have waxy skin that slows water loss. The saguaro, found in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and Mexico, can live more than 150 years and grow over 40 feet tall. This collection shows cacti of many shapes. There is a tall saguaro column, a saguaro with an owl perched on it, a narrow organ pipe cactus and a barrel cactus on a pedestal. Cacti grow in a pot, a tall terracotta planter and a tower of four pots. One blooms with a tall spike, one spirals upward, one clings to a cliff and others stand tall in front views and monument poses. Elf owls really do nest in old woodpecker holes in saguaros, a fun fact for that page. Use several greens for the stems, tan or white for spines and bright pink, yellow or red for flowers.
Potted pals and prickly pads
Cute Cactus Character and Cute Cactus are the easiest, with rounded shapes for ages 3 to 6. Cactus in Pot adds a flower and a patterned pot, and Desert Cactus is the medium scene with small plants and pebbles. For a plant science tie-in, place a real succulent on the table and have children compare its shape and color with the cactus they are coloring.
Desert greens and sunset skies
Cactus skin looks natural in blue-green, sage or deep green, with pink, red or yellow flowers on top. Terra cotta or bright painted pots work for Cactus in Pot and Cute Cactus Character. On Desert Cactus, sandy tans for the ground and warm orange or pink in the sky create a sunset glow behind the saguaro. The rounded pads on Cute Cactus can each take a slightly different green so the cluster looks layered.
