When was the last time you walked into plant nursery and purchased a cactus, only to find yourself bewildered by lousy advice you recieved? “It’s a cactus,” you think, as you gaze at spiny plants lining the shelves. “They’re all easy to care for.” Not so much. It’s also common for novice cactus growers to assume that all species thrives in dry conditions. That misconception most frequentaly results in a dying (not thriving) cactus instead.
In this case, visual guide provides a way to tell species apart based off their evolutionary habits. Why does it matter? Because looking past aesthetics is helpful. First: Understand that not all cacti has the same lifestyle. For instance, some are adapted to grow in dry, sunny Sonora Desert. The Saguaro, for example, is built to hold water in large bodies and can goes months between rains.
How to Tell Cactus Types Apart
On the other hand, those that come from humid highlands of Brazil (such as the Christmas Cactus) are epiphytes. They grows on trees and require humidity and regular rainfall. Not dry soil. Why try to make a jungle cactus into desert column? That’s asking for trouble. The chart indicates the moist tribe species and the dry tribe species. Knowing who’s who will prevents watering mistakes.
What to Look For: First, what kind of cactus do you have? To figure it out, look at the shape. Is it a trailing stem? Is it a round globe? Is it a flat pad? Is it a tall column? What does that say about its habitat? Deserts typically produce globes and columns. Jungles produces trailing stems. Also examine the ribs and spines. Areoles (small pads from which spines emerge) is one distinguishing trait of true cacti; no other family have them. Examine those spines and count the ribs to help narrow down genus. People often don’t take time to really LOOK, and just purchase the cactus as-is.
Now we get to the second key decision: where? Where do your selected species goes? Take a giant like an Organ Pipe cactus or Saguaro. No, no, they don’t go in a little pot inside. They must stays outside in full sun and open ground, and even then they will grow too big for that. The same applies to a succulent dish-garden of a Bunny Ears Opuntia or a Star Cactus. Match it to the space; if it’s root-bound, it won’t fare so well.
They ranges from just a few inches tall to 40 feet. The sizes is shown here. Knowing which size fits where also helps you choose where to place it.
The application of theory is watering. In general, desert things want very long periods without it and soil that drains fast. Overwatering them will kills them fast because their tissues is holding water. Jungle cacti requires an airy, but still somewhat moist, soil. Heavy soil doesn’t let them breathe well. If left too long without water, they will collapse. It’s either dry and bright with them, or it’s moist and shady. There is no middle ground; it is extreme.
How do you know what to choose as a beginning? Some types is easy on the eye and easy on the hands: Try a Christmas Cacti or a Bunny Ears. They are easy to accommodate indoors and easy to tell when they is thirsty. A Star Cacti or Golden Barrel is also good. Slow and steady growth (but reliable). Save those big columns for another day. Those big guys requires experience and space outdoors.
Knowing how much water they want (and how it varies by species), where they come from and what their habit is shifts things. Suddenly you’re not treating all cacti alike. You’re respecting each one’s special survival skills. And that makes you a better grower.