Cacti are some of the most popular plants forbeginner gardenersand houseplant fancier who might need plant life more tolerant of neglect . These prickly plants are hardy — they can get by naturally without much water system , so they can withstand periods of drought .
These plants are also stunningly divers . There are over 2,000 mintage of cacti split up among 87 genus . Some expectant species , such as the saguaro cactus , primarily rise outdoors because of their large mature size ; however , that does n’t think of it ’s impossible to develop them inside .
At this power point , you ’re likely wonder , “ What form of cactus do I have ? Is it even important to know , or do they all involve the same care ? ” love what kind of cacti you have in your plant family is essential for proper tending , and the identification process comes down to physical characteristics .
Why it’s important to know what kind of cactus you’re growing
Knowing the kind of cactus you ’re growing is just as important as get it on the different names of all your leafy , urine - loving plants . Without that noesis , you wo n’t have intercourse the best way to ensure happy , healthy emergence . Every cactus species is dissimilar , and although there are some ecumenical guidepost you may follow , the nuanced aspects of their care can vary .
Cacti can have different florescence times , different plague problems , dissimilar solutions for spine loss , and more . While knowing how much light and irrigate a cactus needs is essential to keeping it alert , you wo n’t roll in the hay exactly what you ’re dealing with without identifying your cactus .
Ways to identify your cacti
There are multiple way you may key out your cacti ! Even from just have them in your menage , it ’s easy to see that they can have different lengths , width , and overall size of spines , and they can also deviate in shape and size at matureness . The first step is to ensure what you ’re dealing with is a cactus and not a succulent ; although cacti lessen under the umbrella of succulent , not all succulent are cacti .
Cacti — even spineless ones , which do exist ! — have areoles . The areoles are soft , cushion - like surface area that the flowers , fruit , hairs , and spines on a cactus grow from . Although some succulents have spines , they do n’t have areoles . So search for this distinct organ , which is present in cacti after two to three weeks of life , is of import .
Size and shape
Looking at the size and build of your cacti is a good place to originate . Some cacti varieties will stay small even at due date while others , like the saguaro cactus , will be enormous when to the full grown . Larger cacti still can be managed as indoor plants , though ; usually , you ’ll be able to recite whether they ’ll be big or not based on their growth patterns .
The shape is another significant element . Although many cacti are globose and cylindric , some have winding growth , and others grow in sections call pads . Is your cactus stubby and growing outwards , or is it thin and growing tall ? With over 2,000 species of cacti , studying the form and the size of it of your cacti can do a lot for whittling down your list of contenders .
Stems and spines
The stem and spines are beneficial indicator of what cactus you ’re dealing with , especially when paired with a cactus ’s size and conformation . Cacti halt can be unruffled or ribbed , shroud in spine , or just boast areoles . A stubby , costate cactus may be a different variety than a blackguard cactus with column - like increase , so wait up identifiers in group will get you nearer to reckon out what form of cactus you ’re dealing with . Some cacti even have tubercles ( growth that sprout from the outer parts of the plant life ) that can be round or triangular , which are specially helpful for figuring out coinage .
Because spur can wait so different from species to metal money , they should n’t be overlook . Some spines are little and hair - same , often appear soft on the surface of the cactus . Others are boneheaded and long , usually giving off more of an “ if I affect this , I might conk out ” vibe .
Some mixture are even more unparalleled , like the old man cactus ( orCephalocereus senilis ) . The old man cactus has what seems to be unkempt white fuzz growing all around it , and the hair actually covers up needlelike yellow thorn . Cacti with more unique spines will be easier to identify , but for others , you ’ll desire to research multiple characteristics .
What are the flowers like?
A flower cactus is rather funny , and if you ’re lucky enough to have a salad days on yours , it ’s a great way to identify what cactus you ’re share with . Cacti can have bright or pale blooms , and some even have two - modulate blooms with one color at the outer part of the flower and another at the internal part .
When the blooms grow can give a good hint at the species too . For example , the belovedChristmas cactusblooms from early to mid - winter ; however , the similar - looking Thanksgiving cactus starts growing its blooms in late fall and continues through the middle of wintertime . For these vacation cacti , the best way to describe them is to pay attention to what clip of year they flower .
Something to keep in mind , though , is that somecacti may need specific conditions to bloom . If your cactus is n’t flowering , that does n’t needs think it will never blossom , especially if you do n’t know what miscellany or metal money it is . If it does n’t have flower , you ’ll want to leave out efflorescence drug abuse altogether when identifying the cactus ; otherwise , you could go down the faulty path .
Here ’s a tilt of some ( though not all ! ) flowering cacti :
Are there leaves?
Perhaps the most unequaled component to regard when identifying your cacti is whether they have leaf . Roughly 90 % of cacti diversity do n’t have leaves at all , so your options can be narrowed down right away if your plant does have leave . Cacti leaves are rarely seen , peculiarly since some only show leave when new growth is forming . Although some acquire leaves during any stage , pay close care as you care for them during the growing season .
Is there an app to identify cacti?
Sometimes , no matter how closely you watch your cactus , you just ca n’t seem to fancy it out . If you ca n’t seem to Google the correct combinations to get the result you ’re bet for ( maybe a different cactus point up no matter what equipment characteristic you search for ) , do n’t worry ! There ’s an app for that . TheiNaturalist appis one of the best cactus and plant recognition apps . It ’s home to more than 1.3 million hobbyists and professionals who can help you figure out what variety of plant you ’re dealing with.iNaturalist can be downloaded on Google Play or Apple ’s App Store and might be a skilful last - ditch effort to identify your cacti and other houseplants .
Knowing the form ofcactus you ’re growingwill enable you to provide more nuanced , personalized upkeep to keep them happy , healthy , and flourish . So do n’t be afraid to get up unaired and personal to work out out what ’s going on with your cactus . Just remember not to gettooclose — those spines hurt !
