Let’s agree that cactus plants are one of the most interesting things out there.Rather than being just prickly plants, it’s thrilling to know that there are about 2,500 species of cacti. And, the odd part is that many don’t even have the spines.Through the years, cacti have been introduced to us as a houseplant. Many people actually like having cactus species at their homes because of their easy maintenance. Moreover, there are a lot of varieties of indoor cacti to choose from in the plant shops. Having said that, people still have a stereotypical idea of a cactus. This guide will introduce you to some common types of cactus that can be found in homes as well as out in the desert.So, do keep reading to gain knowledge about these amazing drought-tolerant plants.If you love going through this article, take a look at types of coconuts and different types of forests, here on Kidadl.Classification Of Cactus And Main TypesThe cactus is part of the plant family Cactaceae, and there are around 127 genera of cacti out there. Moreover, there are also four subfamilies of cacti, and most belong to the order Caryophyllales. Other than being great houseplants, there are many cactus plants that make good food, especially in drier climates.You would be thrilled to know that most cactus plants originate in the Americas, except the mistletoe or Rhipsalis baccifera that is also found in Africa and Asia. On top of that, most cacti also live in the desert, adapting to the hot and humid conditions of the environment. Another interesting fact is that all cacti are succulents; that is, the plants have the ability to hold water inside their bodies. However, there are plenty of succulents that don’t belong to the cacti family and especially lack sharp spines; but, most do flower to reproduce. Here, we are going to talk about the most popular cacti from around the world.Let’s start with the bunny ear cactus (Opuntia microdasys) that’s commonly seen in our homes. This cactus doesn’t seem to have sharp thorns but rather has hair-like brown prickles known as glochids that can easily stick to your skin or clothes. The name comes from the growth of this plant which is usually in the form of two pads that look like the ears of a rabbit. Originally from Mexico, the bunny ear cactus can easily grow to a height of 2-3 ft (60.9-91.4 cm). When kept under bright light in summers, the cactus can produce white flowers and purple fruits.Contrary to usual houseplants, you are more likely to find the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in someone’s backyard or garden. This cactus can easily attain a height of 40 ft (1,219 cm), so it does need a lot of space. However, as the saguaro cactus is a slow-growing cactus, many people like to grow it indoors before moving it under the full sun. This plant has the typical barrel-shaped body and branches out quite well. The saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert.Recently, the old lady cactus (Mammillaria hahniana) has been quite popular among houseplant lovers. This falls in the category of pincushion cacti and has a dark green body with white spines. It’s also known as the powder puff cactus. The most interesting aspect of this cactus has to be the bright purple or small pink flowers that come out during spring. The old lady cactus species don’t grow very big and can be easily reared at home.The Mammillaria genus contains more than 250 species of cacti. Some of the popular ones are the red-headed Irishman cactus (Mammillaria spinosissima), the rosy pincushion cactus (Mammillaria zeilmanniana), and the pineapple cactus (Mammillaria longimamma), which has green flowers during spring.Next up, we have the star cactus (Astrophytum asteria), also known as the sea urchin cactus, and the starfish cactus. The round body of the star cactus is divided into eight slices, and the whole body is covered in symmetrically placed white dots accompanied by white hairs. During spring, the star cactus grows yellow flowers. It’s easy to grow indoors and usually has a diameter of 2-6 in (5-15 cm).Now, coming to the most common type of cactus, it has to be the Echinocactus grusonii or the golden barrel cactus. The drum or barrel-like spherical shape gives it a distinct look. The golden barrel cactus originates in east-central Mexico. However, it is not the only barrel cactus, and if you want a change, try to find more variants of the common cacti. The Ferocactus wislizenii is another common barrel cactus that is known for its small orange flowers.Another common and well-known species are the prickly pear cacti. Along with having more flattened stems or pads, the spines of these plants do stand out. The prickly pear cactus is also known as the nopal or paddle cactus and is edible. These beautiful plants have pink or yellow flowers when kept in proper sunlight.Other common cacti species include the balloon cactus with its golden-yellow spines, the feather cactus, the gold lace cactus, and the ladyfinger cactus, to name a few. The ladyfinger cactus is especially known for having white flowers.A common variant of small cactus plants seen is a colorful cactus variant called the moon cactus. To tell you the truth, these aren’t naturally occurring. Rather the moon cactus is a grafted cactus that’s made by combining Gymnocalycium mihanovichii cactus onto Hylocereus cactus. The grafted cacti look beautiful due to the colorful top, which is most often pink, but in most cases, a moon cactus won’t survive for a long time. So, the pink cactus is definitely real, but the moon cactus isn’t.How Does Cactus Adapt In A Desert Environment For SurvivalThere are different ways through which cactus plants adapt to the environment of the desert, but it’s predominantly done through shallow roots and a body that evades the evaporation of water.First of all, you need to know that, like any other succulent or water-storing plant, the cactus plants also have modified bodies that can store a good amount of water to avoid drying out. That also makes most cacti slow-growing in nature as they might need a lot of energy and utilization of water. By far, one of the most interesting things about cacti has to be the root system. The shallow roots lay under the soil for trapping as much water as possible. Some cacti may even produce instant roots within hours to trap water if it’s raining or there is a sudden increase in the water content of the soil. On top of that, you will notice that most cacti species lack leaves; instead, there are spines that are modified leaves. The spines on a cactus grow from special bumps known as the areoles. At times the areoles in cactus can grow brightly colored flowers, while other species go into the fruiting stage. Most commonly, flowers are seen in the genera of Mammillaria, Gymnocalycium, and Parodia.As you might know, one of the crucial ways of producing energy in a plant is through the process of photosynthesis. Now, as a desert plant, most cactus plants lack true leaves; the whole body helps in making up for it by taking in sunlight to make the food as it’s covered in stomata. That’s the reason for most cactus plants being green. On top of that, the body is also covered in a waxy substance that prevents the loss of water even in hot and dry conditions like that of a desert. By now, you must have understood that cactus plants are categorized under plants and not trees as the latter usually has woody stems. Having said that, there are several cactus species that can attain the height of trees.Different Types Of Pencil CactusAnother common type of plant is the pencil cacti that grow with sleek branches and look quite like a bare tree.Technically the pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli) is not really a true cactus but a tree that has thick water-storing stems or branches. It is found especially in semi-arid conditions compared to most other cactus species. The plant also releases a milky white latex substance that’s poisonous. The mature tree looks quite different from the ones, especially when grown outdoors as the tips turn red. Because this plant is known by different names like the aveloz, Indian tree spurge, milk bush, naked lady, and pencil tree, people tend to think that there are several species. But it’s just one variant. Another plant of the same genus, the African milk tree cactus (Euphorbia trigona), also has a slender body, is slow-growing but isn’t a true cactus. It’s native to Central Africa.How To Identify Types Of CactusThe easiest way to identify cacti is by looking at the shape of a plant or simply by observing the nature of spines present on its body. These are some of the ways to identify which kind of cactus you have.Usually, the cactus is divided into three different categories based on the growing habitats. The first division contains the arborescent or tree-like cacti. These plants have woody stems and may or may not have leaves. However, most attain a tree-like height and have bare stems covered in prickly thorns. The Pachycereus pringlei is one of the commonly known species closely followed by Stenocereus thurberi. Just like usual trees, these cacti have a tendency to branch out while growing.The next division contains the columnar cacti or cactus plants that have a column-like or cylindrical erect stem. Some of these plants may have branches or grow as a single stem. It can be a bit challenging to tell the difference between columnar and arborescent categories due to the nature of branching. For instance, the young Cephalocereus senilis often grow in columns, but as mature plants, they may branch out more. One of the most interesting specimens of the columnar category has to be the Stenocereus eruca species, where the columns grow horizontal rather than vertical. This gives the cactus a look of bolster pillows.Another form of cactus is the globular or ball-shaped cacti. It’s one of the most common kinds you can find, especially in landscaping. The globules of cacti may either be solitary or attached to the main root. Often categorized as the barrel cactus, there are several species in the family. The Ferocactus latispinus is a species that can either grow individual barrels or may form clusters.Leaving these categories, there is another fairly common cactus variety seen known as climbing cactus or epiphytes. Rather than having thickened stems, these have flattened leaf-like bodies with no spines. The Hylocereus is a genus of epiphytic cacti that can grow to a height of 330 ft (100 m). And, these are usually known for spectacular blooms. The Rhipsalis cactus has to be one of the most popular epiphytic cacti present at homes.However, the most common cactus houseplants you may have seen are from the Schlumbergera genus. You may know them as the easter cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, or Christmas cactus. The name has been inspired by the blooming season, which is usually during the holidays. The temperature of a house plays a crucial role in the appearance of flower buds and the final blooms, especially the pink flowers. Most cacti are easy to grow when kept in a dry environment with well-draining sandy soil. Interestingly, cactus lovers are called xerophiles coming from the Greek word xeros, meaning dry.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for types of cactus: explore interesting facts on cactus plant family then why not take a look at 41 amazing facts about Maine: the pine tree state that will amaze you, or 21 mind-blowing New York Statue of Liberty facts revealed.
Let’s agree that cactus plants are one of the most interesting things out there.
