^{(Photograph: Ferocactus gracilis gatesii, Christian Defferrard)}

Introduction

Baja California del Norte is the upper state on the Baja peninsula of Mexico. The southern state is Baja California del Sur. Both states have beautiful desert scenery and wonderful cacti and xeric (drought loving) plants.

The Details

Mexico covers approximately 2 million square miles of land. It is a country of mountains, steppes, tropical jungles, beaches and deserts. It stretches from Texas to California and down to the Yucatan Peninsula. It has the greatest number of cactus and succulent species in the world. Many of its species occur in small areas and are endangered by overcollecting, use in the garden and as food, ranch lands, and expanding cities.

From the BBC News, By Duncan Kennedy

The world of smuggling covers a wide range of goods. Botanists warn poaching is threatening Mexico’s floral heritage. Drugs, guns, alcohol, tobacco. You name it. But in Mexico, organised crime has moved into a different market: cactus plants. It has become a multi-million dollar business, so sought after are some of the species. To understand why, it helps to meet Doctor Leia Sheinvar. An expert in cacti for 40 years, she leads invited guests into her special, locked room in Mexico City. Behind the padlocks and keys is a unique world of cacti, protected because they are so rare and so valuable. The colours range from green to pink to blue; some plants are as tall as a tree while others, like one Dr Sheinvar picks up, are the size of a baby’s finger – Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus. “Some time ago,” she says, looking at the plant, “this cactus sold in Europe. Weight for weight, it was more valuable than gold.

Additional Reading: Baja California Map Guide