Raise Your Garden

Musings on the Seedier Side

in Succulents & Cacti· Unique Plants

You NEED a cactus ~ 7 riveting reasons why!

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Oreocereus celsianus “Old Man of the Andes”

Cacti are like all the unique people you know.

Many are tall and thin. Others are short and fat. Some are even bald. And if provoked, all can sting with those prickly spines!

​The spunky shapes, sizes and spines lure me into the cacti world.

Many thanks to Altman Plants for providing the cacti and succulents for this post. Altman Plants are dreamy.

​Now you want to know about the googly eyes. Okay, that’s all my mom. Who else is gonna find you goggly eyes with eyelashes?

But I digress. Pardon all my silliness.

So saddle up your horses, let’s go all wild west today and slash into some cacti facts! 

Echinocereus rigidissimus rubrispinus “Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus”

Echinocereus rigidissimus rubrispinus “Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus”

Make sure you check out my reclaimed driftwood planters. 

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1.) All cactus are succulents & succulents are hot now

All cacti are succulents. But not all spiny succulents are cacti. Feel free to check the veracity of this statement but it is true. 

So you can’t use the term cacti and succulent interchangeably. 

Succulents are plants that store water and nutrients in their leaves, stems and even roots. Sixty different plant families boast ties to this succulent group including aloe, haworthia, sedum, sempervivum and cacti. 

Cacti are fleshy plants that store water making them a succulent. But they usually do not have branches or true leaves.

Cactuses ability to retain water helps them survive periods of drought. The spongy tissues of their thick, fleshy stems can hold water during the rainy season. 

It forces the water down into the roots.

So cactus spines are actually modified “leaves” and it is the stalk that performs photosynthesis.
 
But for a succulent to be considered a cactus, the plant must have areoles. 

barrel cactus

barrel cactus

2.) Speaking of those areoles…

Areoles are small, round, cushion-like mounds of plant flesh where spines, hair, leaves, flowers, and more grow from the cactus. Areoles are only present on cacti, not all succulents.

To the human eye, areoles look like a tiny patch of cotton. The areoles are arranged in clusters separated by areas of spineless skin.  Each areole usually bears multiple spines.

Sometimes these spine clusters are arranged in rows along raised ridges, as in barrel cacti and saguaro.

A few succulents get mistaken for cacti because they have thorns or spines, but these traits do not automatically qualify a succulent as a cactus.

All cacti have areoles. No other plant besides cacti have areoles. So checking a plant to see whether the plant has areoles is the only real way to distinguish a cactus from other succulents.

The ‘Christmas Sleigh’ aloe succulent in the below left bottom photo shows great spines but no areoles. Their spines grow directly out of the plant tissue, therefore aloe is not a cactus.

To the bottom right is a ‘Hens and Chicks’ succulent plant. Again, if you squint, you can see those fun spikes at the tip of the “leaves”. No areole though. So not a cactus either.

The back plant is an echeveria ‘Neon Breakers’ succulent. Tough to see those spiny spikes but I assure you they exist! But no areoles, so again, not a cactus.  

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So it’s the areoles that are the defining feature. Without areoles, the succulent can’t be a cactus.

The size of the spines on the areoles vary from species to species but can be as long as 15 cm. Yikes! Don’t touch.

Spines help protect the plant from the sun while reducing evaporation. They also provide a multitude of surfaces where dew can condense at night, supplying extra water.  

Spines can even condense moisture in the air so that it drips onto the ground, providing the plant with water. 

Some cactus spines are light in color which help them reflect the most sunlight all the while keeping the plant cool in the desert.

Spines also protect the plant from birds and other predators who only go after the cactus for water! ​

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3.) How do you make cactus plural or it is plural already?

Cacti is the Latin plural of cactus. Cactuses is the English plural. But most dictionaries give the green light to both spellings so neither is right or wrong. 

Latin is given lots of leeway on biological nomenclature. So Latin plurals are not considered out of place in botany and other scientific fields.

But are you ready for this one? Like other names of plants, sometimes cactusis can be considered the plural.

Fungus is like cactus and becomes fungi when made plural. Funguses sounds silly but is also grammatically correct.

But then again no one says octopi instead of octopuses. And you never hear viri instead of viruses. So why is it cacti instead of cactuses?

It’s a matter of preference. And right now the trend is to make it cacti, that’s why! So cacti has edged out cactuses as the plural. 

Mammillaria elegans

Mammillaria elegans

4.) All cacti bloom and the blossom is breathtaking!

When I was researching this article, I thought to myself….could this possibly be true? That all cacti bloom?

Then I had to accept that just because not all my cacti have bloomed doesn’t mean they won’t bloom or can’t bloom.

​In fact, when I got my order from Altman Plants, the Mammillaria elegans (above photo) was in bloom.

​Blooms do fade quickly, but when another magenta flower emerges on this globular cactus with dense white spines and white wool, your heart will flutter.

I get a new bloom or two nearly every day!

Just below shows off the satiny creamy yellow flowers on a Mammillaria gracilis fragilis, or more aptly named “Thimble cactus.”

Tiny globular bodies are densely covered with white radial spines resembling…you guessed it, a thimble. Very sharp too!

Blooming Fast Fact!

Flowers originate from the areoles of the cactus. Usually funnel-shaped with a flaring mouth, most blooms have a large but indefinite number of stamens- often more than 50! 
Mammillaria gracilis fragilis

Mammillaria gracilis fragilis “Thimble Cactus”
When I acquired a ‘Rose Quartz’ “Peanut Cactus” (shown in the below photo) I had no idea it would bloom for me. So when five blooms appeared one day as shown in the below photo, I nearly fainted with joy.

Magnificent, bright red blooms with feminine petals will steal the show. 

​Overall the blooms are short-lived, but when they appear you feel like you won the lottery. And if you think I’m referring to the lottery that I never play you would be correct.

But it is the colors of the flowers that will boggle your mind the most. Bright reds, yellows and pinks burst in size. Many are humongous in comparison to the size of the plant making the display that more eye-popping!

It’s possible for some cactus flowers to bloom for a few days, but in my experience most come and go within a 24 hour period passing their prime. 

Other cacti bloom only at night and these nocturnal special get pollinated by bats (eek)  and other nocturnal insects and animals.

'Rose Quartz'

‘Rose Quartz’ “Peanut Cactus”

5.) The real deal on water & cacti

The natural water reservoir is the most famous feature of the cactus plant. I read that a cactus devotes over 90% of its inside body parts to handling, circulating and building up supplies of water. Whoa. 

As a kid, I  still have all these memories of cacti in cartoons getting slashed open and the hero being miraculously saved by drinking the water within.

And while it’s true this fluid has saved several lives of a few individuals in dire, desert regions, it’s a thick substance; not clear.

Just like those old wild west movies, the hero gains access to the liquid by scratching the cactus or creating a hole with a handy ax. The water gushes out! Nope. Not reality.

But due to the way cacti carry out photosynthesis,  the water in a cactus is generally not potable. Moisture within the pulp of a cactus is acidic and many cacti contain toxic alkaloids.

Echinocereus rigidissimus rubrispinus “Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus”

Oreocereus celsianus “Old Man of the Andes” & Echinocereus rigidissimus rubrispinus “Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus”
So if you find yourself stranded in the desert without water, drinking the cactus water may save your life but it could also make you sick and cause additional dehydration, and that alone will kill you.

​Stick with your coconut water! 

“Old Man of the Andes” hysterical Fast Fact

Groom woolly hairs on your “Old Man of the Andes” cactus like you would your own! Providing that you have wooly hair to groom.

​When hair becomes matted, carefully “shampoo” it in weak, soapy water (not detergent) solution and rinse thoroughly, combing out any excess soap.

Maybe while shampooing you could provide your senior citizen cactus  the latest AARP edition for a little distraction? Just saying…. 
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6.) Cacti are literally showing their spunky, spiny selves everywhere!

Clothing, cupcakes, cards and on all the covers of magazines….we are being bombarded with cacti. And why not?

It’s the year of the cactus. Time for the spine to shine.

While feverishly checking out at the grocery store this week, the cupcakes featured on a magazine cover distracted me and contributed to my tying up the line.

Not to mention the succulent/cacti Valentine’s Day card my mom sent me. Not throwing that one away!

​My son’s clothes. Yep. They have cacti on them! Wild little man.

​Cacti salt and pepper shakers? Tell me you have a set!

And surely you have seen all the cacti bedding? As long as the sheets don’t come with thorns attached, I’m all in!

You want to ride this trend while it’s hot, hot, hot.

​And please don’t tell me that you’ve never sampled cactus candy? Okay, how about cactus jelly? 
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7.) Long live the cactus!

If treated right, cactus can live anywhere from decades to well over 300 years. So you better have a name in mind in your will! Who gets you cacti plants?

​To encourage more blooms, you need to foster periods of blossom and rest in your cactus.

In its growing phase, the cactus wants direct sunlight, high temps, high humidity, and proper watering for growth to occur.

​When in dormancy, keep cacti in a place with lower temperature and humidity and water no more than once a week. Likely less!

Your basement is actually a good spot in winter providing you have one and it doesn’t get too cold (50-55 degrees.)  

Tallest cactus? 66 feet. Shortest cactus? One centimeter.

You want the truth? I don’t care how black you think your thumb is: anyone can grow a cactus as long as you don’t overwater it.

Depending on where you live, they can be grown indoors or out. I grow mine indoors and let them bask in the summer sun when May hits all through September on my patio. 

Oreocereus celsianus “Old Man of the Andes”

Oreocereus celsianus “Old Man of the Andes”

Silly cactus story…

So I was with the family looking at stoves at one of those big-box mega stores. Stoves are boring so I made my way to the garden section to check out the cactus plants.

And what did I and my youngest daughter discover? Huge blooms on almost every single plant. 

Suspicion sets in and proves correct. Closer inspection reveals these flowers have been glued on. Not too artfully either! The chunky glue made the flowers look so fake. 

This practice could seriously damage the cacti plants causing them to die a *slow and painful* death. 

Why….oh why? 

Buyer beware. Many authorities on the topic state that you can tell the difference between “real” and “fake” flowers because dried cactus flowers are papery; real cactus flowers are soft.

​Again, not so true. My Mammillaria elegans hot pink flowers are quite papery; they totally seem fake. To the touch, they feel like statice. 

Yet real and stunningly splendid they are! 

Espostoa melanostele “Peruvian Old Lady”

Espostoa melanostele “Peruvian Old Lady”
The “Peruvian Old Lady” is a unique and interesting cactus. Aptly named, this cactus appears to be covered in gray hair, but underneath it all are some very stiff thorns!

Since I’m growing my “Peruvian Old Lady” cactus indoors, I can only expect it to grow about 10 inches in a ten year period. But if grown in the wild, some can grow 7 feet tall.

The nocturnal, white flowers are rare and stretch about two inches wide.  Berry-like fruits are produced with edible dull black seeds inside. Who’s hungry? 

Do you grow cacti?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Michelle Proper says

    So adorable! I tried to grow cactus from seed one time and was going well at first, then they all died 🙁

    Reply

  6. Kimber says

    I have 2 cactus plants, but only one has bloomed. I have had them for years in the same pottery they came in and surprisingly they haven’t died.

    Reply

  7. Calshondra Williams says

    I love growing succulents and catcus plants because they are really easy to grow. These look really great. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  9. Diane Warstler says

    I haven’t had much luck with cacti. I suspect it’s because I over water them. I’d lover to try again sometime.

    Reply

  22. Sam says

    I really like cactus. Some variants above I haven’t seen before. I tend to not have much luck with blooms though.

    Reply

  32. Melissa Storms says

    My teen has asked for a cactus. I need to get one from a reliable seller, we were very disappointed in one we picked up from one of the big box stores.

    Reply

  37. Kathy Bowen says

    My sister used to grow cacti in her yard. She found them growing wild on a local railroad track. I think I will get some small ones like these for indoors. The googly eyes sold me!

    Reply

  41. Sandra McFadden says

    I love this ………thanks for sharing. I have a hard time keeping plants alive since I moved to a different part of the country.

    Reply

  43. Monica McConnell says

    My son actually brought me one home from school one year for mothers day with the eyes and everything.

    Reply

  49. Michael Coovert says

    I have said it before and I will say it again, I love my cacti. They are the one indoor plant I can keep without killing it.

    Reply

  60. Kathy Pease says

    I love cactuses they are so beautiful. I have never had much luck though because I think I watered them too often.

    Reply

  62. Betsy Pauzauskie says

    I’ve had numerous beloved cacti over time, which have all now successfully been given to good homes. What with grandchildren & fur babies getting stuck with indoor cacti, to a neighbor’s dog eating one of our outdoor cacti, I decided to swear off of growing them. But, the craving for them doesn’t go away. Succulents are my go to plant now, whenever the temptation becomes too great.

    Reply

  70. Tara L says

    These are cute to have during the summer time or for plant therapy. I love the “Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus”. So cute!

    Reply

  82. Irene says

    “it’s the areoles that are the defining feature. Without areoles, the succulent can’t be a cactus.” This is exactly what I didn’t understand! Great article w/tons of information. Thanks!

    Reply

  84. Sunnymay says

    What an adorable group of cacti. It looks so easy to dress them up, plus now I know more about the visible parts of the plant. Cactus like other succulents requires hardly any care and little water.

    Reply

  85. Sunnymay says

    What an adorable group of cacti. It looks so easy to dress them up, plus now I know more about the visible parts of the plant. Cactus like other succulents requires hardly any care and little water.

    Reply

  98. Jenni Phillips says

    I love this! I am going to add to my collection of cacti and have some sent to my best friend too! The story about the glued on flowers too, OMG, did you remove any of them, I am afraid I would have been tempted to start removing them lol!!!

    Reply

  100. Laurie Nykaza says

    I had to pin this so much great information when your planting cactus in your garden. I have lots of them in pots too and love how each one is so different. I just have to make sure i dont over water them.

    Reply

  107. Sue E says

    I didn’t realize that cacti can be so colorful and beautiful!! The eyes are a cute idea!! It was very informative reading about drinking water from cacti 🌵 too. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  112. Richard Hicks says

    I used to plant catii seeds as a kid. Seemed like it too forever for them to grow to any size. I still love them.

    Reply

  118. Donna says

    It’s been a long time since I’ve had any cacti except for my Christmas cacti. Thanks for sharing this info!

    Reply

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“And he who waters will be watered himself.”
• Proverbs 11:25 •