The cactus plant is a wonderful addition to any home thanks to its stunning shape and size. Having a cactus is a unique and decorative way to bring visual interest into your space.
Cactus Plant
Cacti are commonly found in North and South America, usually in drought-prone areas. They are perfectly adapted to living in extremely hot, desert-like environments. This proves that cacti have the ability to withstand harsh conditions and survive long periods of drought. They are also easy to care for since they only need watering occasionally.
Although cacti grow slowly, they are largely self-sufficient because they store moisture in their roots, leaves, and stems, and regulate their intake of nutrients.
Cacti prefer a bright, well-ventilated, warm spot, but not one that’s too hot. Around 18 °C is an ideal temperature. They can also adapt well to direct sunlight.
Because of this, many questions come to mind about cactus plants, and we want to find the answers. Here are the most common questions and their answers:
1. Can You Kill a Cactus?
Not really. If you’ve ever tried to kill a cactus, you’re not alone. The easiest way to do it is through watering, poor drainage, or using the wrong fertilizer.
Regular potting soil retains water well, which is a huge advantage for most plants — but not for cacti. They require extremely well-drained soil.
If you want to keep your cactus alive, it’s best to use specialized cactus compost instead.
2. Do Cactus Plants Have Flowers?
All cacti have flowers, but some varieties produce more prominent blooms.
There are a few, such as Gymnocalycium and Parodia, that flower quite easily and put on spectacular colorful displays.
3. How Do I Make My Cactus Bloom?
Cactus flowers grow on fresh growth. So, if your plant has been sitting there unchanged year after year, it’s very unlikely to bloom.
What you need to do is allow the plant to follow its natural growth cycle.
It needs to go dormant in winter, then wake up again in spring.
So, place it in a dry, cool (but not dark) place during the winter, and stop watering it altogether.
In spring, give it as much sunlight as possible and start watering again.
Moon cacti have very colorful tops — usually red or yellow. These are not flowers, so the color remains year-round.
Polka dot cacti have golden bristle-like dots on a green background, giving them a modern, geometric look.
Perhaps the most common variety is the spiny Mammillaria, an easy-to-grow cactus that produces small, pretty pink flowers.
4. How Do You Handle a Cactus?
Cacti should be handled carefully!
You can use very thick gloves or wrap folded newspaper around the top.
Large spines can be removed with tweezers. Tiny spines can be pulled out by pressing adhesive tape over them and peeling it off, or by rolling up an old pair of socks into a ball and rubbing the area quickly. Any remaining fine spines can be removed with olive oil.
5. Are All Cacti Spiky?
No. What we usually think of are desert cacti, but there are also forest cacti that don’t have spines.
However, note that the range available as houseplants is quite limited.
6. How Long Do Cacti Live?
Wild cacti can live for hundreds of years.
Indoors, a cactus can live for 10 years or more.
The challenge with older plants is that every bump, scratch, or mark remains visible on the cactus, so it tends to look less attractive as it ages.
7. Do All Cactus Plants Store Water in Their Leaves?
Yes. All cacti have the ability to store water in their leaves or stems. This feature connects cacti and succulents, as it allows them to survive in extremely dry habitats. However, succulents do not have the same structure as cacti.
8. What Is a Christmas Cactus?
The Christmas cactus is a popular holiday plant during the festive season.
It’s known as an epiphyte, meaning it grows on top of other plants, trees, or rocks.
There are two types of Christmas cactus: Schlumbergera truncata and Buckleyi cactus.
Christmas cacti bloom for about two months, from late November to late January, producing lots of small flower buds in red, white, yellow, pink, and purple throughout the Christmas season.
How to Grow a Cactus Plant
Cactus plants add plenty of interest to your home, whether grown indoors or outdoors, especially when arranged as a group. Here’s a quick guide to growing these easy-care plants. There are many reasons to start a cactus garden.
Do you love a stunning, elegant look and want potted plants that are relatively easy to care for? Do you also want to save water?
There are many decorative cactus ideas for gardeners to design their own spaces.
Cactus Planting Ideas
You can create an outdoor cactus garden or bring them indoors to add a unique touch to your décor.
Outdoor cactus landscaping ideas: If you live in a mild winter climate, you can grow a cactus garden in your backyard.
There are many outdoor cactus garden designs, including:
Interspersing cacti among flowering perennials or small shrubs.
Desert-inspired cactus beds surrounded by gravel or crushed stone.
A wall of tall cactus varieties, such as organ pipe cactus, blue candle cactus, or cow’s tongue cactus.
Stunning specimen cacti used as focal plants — such as large barrel cacti, prickly pear, or strawberry cactus.
General Cactus Care
Caring for cacti is relatively simple, but not entirely maintenance-free.
Most cacti and succulents require similar basic care, though there are exceptions.
Whether indoors or outdoors, a cactus garden needs plenty of sunlight — aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Overwatering is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. These drought-resistant plants are easily affected by root rot, so always let the soil dry out between waterings.
In winter, it’s common for cacti to need watering only every two weeks.
If your cactus garden is outdoors, Mother Nature will usually provide enough water through rainfall for most of the year. If not, water your plants thoroughly at least once a week during the hottest months.
Cacti don’t require large amounts of fertilizer, but they generally appreciate a low-strength feed during their growing season, which runs from spring to summer.
Most cacti grow slowly and don’t mind being slightly root-bound.
If you see roots coming out of the pot, or if your plant has outgrown its container, it’s time to repot it into a new home.
