The cactus is distinct among types of house plants as probably the easiest to care for. With just a little bit of attention, a typical cactus can live for a long time, giving your home years of no-hassle beautiful growth. Cactuses also offer an incredible variety of appearances and growth habits. Depending on your preferences, you can find cactuses that are large or small, flowering or non-flowering, and that have cylindrical stems or trailing leaves.
However, even with all of this variety, there are certain traits that all cactus species will have in common. Knowing a little bit about how to categorize species Of cactus will help you decide which kinds of cactus are the best choice for your home.
Recognizing Species Of Cactus
One common mistake that leads many people to misidentify species Of cactus is the assumption that all succulents are types of cactus. While all cactus species are types of succulents, many types of succulents do not fall into the cactus category. For example, the jade plant is a type of succulent with woody branches and thick, glossy green leaves. Like many species Of cactus, the jade plant stores water that enables it to survive weeks or sometimes even longer between waterings.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that many succulents, like the jade plant, can flourish in the same types of potting soil and with the same types of fertilizer advertised for cactuses. However, the fact that a jade plant has no spines or areoles is a hint that it is a type succulent other than one of the cactus species.
The Spines Of Species Of Cactus
While most cactuses have spines, even the existence of spines is not a guarantee that a succulent is a type of species Of cactus. The popular aloe plant, with its attractive green spiny branches, is in fact not a cactus species. Like the jade plant, the aloe plant is a succulent that has many characteristics in common with cactus species and is easy to mistake for a cactus.
When trying to identify a spiny succulent that might or might not be a cactus, look for groups of spines that sprout from a common point rather than single spines that are arranged side by side. Many spiny species Of cactus display these groups of spines, though this is not always a foolproof means of cactus identification.
Cactus Species For Indoor Planting
There are many different resources that can help you identify species Of cactus, and this is an important step before deciding to buy a cactus or other succulent for your home. Consulting a gardening book or knowledgeable staff members at your local garden shop will help ensure that you get a cactus that is a good fit for the lighting, temperature and space that your home will provide.
Cactuses can live for many years, and you should find out how quickly a cactus species will grow and how much light it needs before determining where it will reside on a counter, table or windowsill.
