The 10 Best Types of Cactus Plants You Can Grow at Home
They're super easy to take care of, too!
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Cacti may not get all the attention of other houseplants such as the flashy Swiss cheese plant or the hard-to-kill snake plant, but they can be a great addition to your garden, indoors and out. With amazing variety and texture, they’re actually a type of succulent, which is any plant that survives drought by storing water in its leaves, stems or roots. “All cacti are succulents, though not all succulents are cacti,” says Debra Lee Baldwin, succulent expert and author of Designing with Succulents. “But cacti are among the world’s most resilient and adaptable plants, and they last forever in pots.”
Cacti grow in the ground in warm climates or in pots that can be brought indoors if the weather gets extremely hot or cold. Give them a sunny windowsill with no drafts, or set them under a grow light for optimal results. Otherwise, they tend to stretch toward the light and become unattractive. Outdoors, cacti typically like full sun unless it’s boiling hot, which is when they benefit from a little shade or shelter from a taller plant. Also, make sure not to drown them. “Cacti really resent too much water, and the roots will rot,” says Baldwin. So, err on the side of caution and water only when the soil feels dry. Finally, cacti with super-sharp spines are not pet or kid-safe, but they can make impressive accent plants in the right setting.
And now that you know how to take care of them, learn more about the various types of cactus plants you can grow yourself.
This favorite winter bloomer can live for decades. To get it to rebloom, about six weeks before the holidays, move it to a room where it won’t get nighttime light. It needs 12 to 14 hours of dark to set buds. Its relatives, Easter and Thanksgiving cacti, bloom at the time of year after which they’re named.
Altman Plants Old Lady Cactus
Ignore the semi-unflattering name! This cute cactus is one of the easier ones to grow. It maintains a cute little rounded shape. In late winter to early spring, it may develop a ring of hot pink flowers.
The zig zag form of this plant make it irresistible. It grows well indoors year-round on a sunny windowsill. It also has night-blooming flowers, though they rarely occur indoors.
This beautiful fast-growing cactus keeps its rounded shape. They can grow up to 60 inches tall outdoors but stay more petite indoors, so it’s an ideal windowsill plant.
Succulents Depot Silver Ball Cactus
This rounded cactus has beautiful white spines and can grow to 20 inches tall. Its large yellow flowers appear in spring.
Altman Plants Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus
Altman Plants Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus
This pretty pinkish cactus gets beautiful rose flowers in late spring. It’s a great plant for beginners.
Mountain Crest Gardens Peanut Cactus
Mountain Crest Gardens Peanut Cactus
This cute little clumping cactus looks exactly like a bunch of peanuts standing on end! The stems can curl up to 12 inches long.
This adorable petite cactus has short spiny stems and creamy yellow flowers in spring or summer. It’s a slow grower but relatively easy for new plant parents.
Okay, so it’s not the prettiest name. But this cactus has long trailing stems and pink flowers that pollinators love.
The spines of this cactus look, yep, you guessed it: Feathery! It maintains its rounded shape, and its sweetly scented flowers appear in late summer.
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