Known for their ability to last weeks or even months without water, cactuses are a popular choice for people who don’t have the time or the inclination to water a house plant every day. Cactuses owe their reputation as low-maintenance house plants to a structure that allows them to absorb relatively large amounts of water and a thick skin that keeps moisture stored inside the plant.
However, cactuses are not the only plants with these traits and people who value these characteristics have options besides cactuses.
How To Identify Cactus House Plants
Cactuses belong to a type of plant called succulents, most of which are adapted for life in warm, dry climates. Many succulents have thick leaves or stems that can expand rapidly to store moisture. The classic environment in which cactuses and other succulents thrive is a desert that receives large amounts of precipitation a few times a year and is arid the remainder of the year.
Under these conditions, succulents developed the ability to absorb as much water as possible on the rare occasions when water is available and then survive on this stored water during dry spells. Though this trait is common to all succulents, there are ways to identify cactus types as distinct from other succulents.
The first things to look for when trying to identify cactus plants are the presence and arrangement of spines. In attempting to identify cactus specimens, remember that spines are not the same as thorns and that simply the presence of spines is not necessarily proof that a plant is a cactus. A true cactus will generally have spines that grow from areoles. Some succulents, such as an aloe plant, will have moisture-storing limbs and spine-like growths without being a true cactus.
It may also be helpful to remember that the distinction between a cactus and any other type of succulent may be subtle, and as a result many people refer to any type of succulent or any type of spiny succulent as a cactus. If you are only interested in a hardy plant that will withstand dry conditions, identifying cactus plants need not become a complicated process. Many types of succulents are excellent house plants, and there is no reason to limit yourself to true cactuses if other types of succulents would be a good fit for your home.
First Steps To Identify Cactus Plants
Cactuses can be found in many different regions around the world, and the different growing conditions have produced many unique and interesting forms of cactus. If you decide that you would like to know more about how to identify cactus types, you can find help at any nearby gardening store that offers books about plants.
Any book about indoor plants will likely have a section about how to identify cactuses and other succulents, and you might be able to find a book exclusively on the subject of cactuses. In addition, the garden store’s staff can probably help you identify cactus varieties that are best for your home in consideration of your indoor lighting and heating situation.
