Types of cacti: The best varieties at a glance

Cacti can be much more than just prickly. Plantura introduces you to the different types of cacti so that you can make the best choice.

The mostly prickly succulents are perfectly adapted to their environment. The cactus family (Cactaceae) has penetrated into areas where no plant could otherwise thrive, proving that life can survive even under the most adverse conditions. However, the external appearance of these botanical wonders is at least as extraordinary as their habitats. From miniature figures to meter-high columnar cacti: - cacti fascinate with their almost extraterrestrial uniqueness, of which there are up to 1,800 species in abundance. We'll take you on a little excursion into the world of cacti and show you a selection of the most beautiful species.

Types of cacti: variety and characteristics

As with every family, there are also the cactus plants (Cactaceae) some unmistakable similarities. All but one species are native to the Americas. Here, the perennial survivors have conquered a niche in a wide variety of habitats. From steppes to rainforests - the mostly succulent plants are represented everywhere. Only the seasonal availability of water is common to every environment. Because here the cacti have a clear advantage due to their ability to store water in their succulent trunk and leaves. In addition, all cactus species have so-called areoles (greatly reduced short shoots). In seedlings, the aeroles always bear felt and spines formed from transformed leaves. Depending on the species, these are kept or discarded even when they are adults. The leaves, if any, also have their origin here. Apart from that, the bizarre growths could not be more different:

• Growth height: From 1 cm to 20 m
• growth form: trees; flat; geophytes; spherical; shrubs
• Growth: upright; aspiring; creeping; less often hanging
• Growth rate: From 1 m per year to hardly any growth over the years
• Roots: Succulent beets, fibrous or succulent tubers
• Age: From 15 years to 200 years
• Flower diameter: from 5 mm to 30 cm

The age usually depends on the length of time until the first flowering. Early bloomers have a shorter lifespan than late bloomers. According to the above and other characteristics, cacti are divided into four subfamilies:

Deciduous cacti (Pereskioideae)

• A genus: Pereskia with 16 species
• Deciduous, thorny, treelike or shrubby plants, often climbing
• Slightly fleshy shoots
• Areole mostly with felt and thorns
• Pereskia grandifolia, Pereskia bleo

Maihuenioideae

• A genus: Maihuenia with 2 types
• Low-growing, sprouting plants form cushions up to more than 1 m in circumference
• Succulent round stem with much reduced, permanent, small deciduous leaves
• Areole with felt and thorns
• Large pretty flowers 4 to 6 cm in diameter
• Maihuenia poeppigii, Maihuenia patagonica

Prickly Pear Cacti (Opuntioideae)

• 15 genera with about 300 species
• Growth form: prostrate; ragged; Cluster-forming to tree-like
• With thorns
• Usually with flattened, disc-shaped shoots
• Austrocylindropuntia subulata, Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Opuntia rufida

Real cacti (Cactoideae)

• 100 genera with over 1,500 species (85% of all cactus species)
• Growth height from a few cm to 20 m
• Perennial succulent plants
• Leaves almost always reduced to thorns
• Flower diameter 0.2 to 30 cm
• bishop's hat (Astrophytum myriostigma), mother-in-law chair (Echinocactus grusonii), Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus), old man's head (Cephalocereus senilis), wart cactus (Mammillaria spinosissima), Cleistocactus winteri, Schlumbergera truncata, Rat Tail Cactus (Disocactus flagelliformis), Aztekium valdezii, Gymnocalycium variegata, Astrophytum asteriaa, Pachycereus pringlei

Buy cacti: tips and sources of supply

Cacti come in the most unusual forms - from inconspicuous, small spiked balls to shapes that do not seem to come from our world. With 100 to 130 genera and 1500 to 1800 species to choose from, finding the ideal cactus for your home can be difficult. However, once the selection process is complete, depending on the exclusivity of the cacti flavor, one is confronted with another obstacle. Where can I get my prickly dream child? Of course, you can also find yourself in a hardware store, garden center and the like at first glance Fall in love with a specimen, but if you are looking for a specific species, especially a rare one, you will usually not find it there find it. But in the age of networking and online mail order, nothing seems impossible. You can buy plants and especially seeds of all kinds of cacti on the internet. Whether Amazon, E-Bay or the online shop of a cactus grower - cacti awaken a passion in many people, which is also reflected in a large number of private individuals who breed their offspring via websites offer. Especially with these you will find the most unusual species. Because while some collect stamps, others have fallen under the spell of the cacti.

You will find a particularly large selection of different types of cacti, for example, at:

• Uhlig cacti: For over 55 years, propagation of over 5000 different species of cacti and other succulents (contact here)
• Cacti Haage: Oldest cactus cultivation in the world with an extremely large selection (Contact here)

When buying a cactus, you should also pay attention to a special cactus soil. You can read about what needs to be considered here.

Although cacti come from desert regions, there are some representatives that can also spend the whole year in our garden. We present you hardy cactus species that can cope well with snow and cold.