Introduction:
For anyone in search of incorporating something specially into their indoor garden, it would be wise to try your hand at flowering cactus. These rather unusual plants provide an entirely new experience than the typical indoor plants such as the fiddle leaf or pothos plants.
The flowering cactus varieties are a feast for the eyes with their electric neon colored flowers and erect, neatly arranged forms that give this wonder of the plant world an irresistible, fairy tale look. Succulents, says Debra Lee Baldwin, author of Designing with Succulents, are ‘an acquired taste with tons of variety’.
These plants vary in form and feel and have developed the method of Programmed Water Storage in leaves and stems when the climate is unfavorable. Baldwin also says, “All cactus are succulents, but not all succulents are cactus.” Their most defining feature? The spines which have developed out of a natural necessity as means of protecting the body of the plant. As always flowers are stunning, and cacti are incredibly simple plants to maintain, no matter whether you are a beginner or a professional in plant-growing.
The first important advice when caring for the plant is to ensure that one does not over water the plant. Flowering cactus are a subcategory of succulents, which means that they cannot tolerate standing water – hence you should only water your flowers when the soil feels completely dry to the touch; always use pots with drainage holes.
If you are ready for it, let me invite you to the stunning flowering cactus world. Here’s a super-fast lowdown on some standard types and some botanical categorisations we love. Let’s get started!
1. Gymnocalycium Cactus:
The plants belonging to the Gymnocalycium genus are among the most beautiful plants in the whole family of flowering cactus. The most widespread of all is Gymnocalycium mihanovichii which has color variations of red, orange or yellow. It is rather common when it is grown on top of another cactus which is called ‘Moon Cactus’.
However, this genus is not limited to just one amazing popular petting choice for visitors to the Reptile Garden. There are approximately 70 species and many of them can be considered as easy growing ones which will provide stunning flowers. For instance Gymnocalycium baldianum with its striking flowers, is another fine specimen to add to your flowering cactus list.
All these cacti are beautiful and upbeat, which makes them a staple to grow, either on a windowsill or on a terrace!
2. Selenicereus Cactus:
Among them there is a jungle type of flowering cactus named Selenicereus which grows on trees or rocks, as the Tillandsias do. Some of the plants used to be in the Hylocereus group of cacti, though these glorious cacti are now famous for the tasty fruits such as the dragonfruit. Well, did you know that the juicy fruit you buy in the supermarket grows on a cactus, indeed?
These flowering cactus aren’t only a fruit-bearing plant. This makes them perfect for growing in homes because they provide both lovely flowers and fruits. This one is one of the most famous: Selenicereus undatus from which we get the striking, pink outer-skinned dragonfruit. There is much more to find out in the Selenicereus, which in fact contains more than 30 species. For instance, Selenicereus anthoyanus passing as a fishbone cactus plant but can be easily differentiable by their elongated stem and bright pink blooming flowers. So if you’re looking for an ornamental flowering cactus which is also quite practical this is it!
3. Epiphyllum Cactus:
Flowing cactus- Epiphyllum is definite with flat segments on its leaves, which makes it different from the usual desert like round/shaped cacti. They are better referred to as the jungle cacti, because they adapt well in areas with high humidity and watering is frequent in their case. Their flowers are simply gorgeous – because of this, these plants are also referred to as orchid cactus – and they produce some of the best smelling blossoms.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum or Dutchman’s pipe cactus, which is the most widely cultivated species, comes from the forests of Mexico and Guatemala. It erupts in flower from spring to late summer while, as with many cacti, the flowers can only mean one thing: it’s nocturnal so look out for buds on this one. For a wonderful addition to your collection of plants, this flowering cactus can be great to have!
4. Echinopsis Cactus:
Well meet Echinopsis the legends of the flowering cactus galaxy! The Danseroidea is home to what orb cacti and a variety of cylindrical ones, and it does well for flowering cacti. A native cactus from South America, some species of Echinopsis have adapted to homes and balconets of residences worldwide.
as the Easter lily cactus. While these beauties are not very difficult to grow, they do need more water than one might expect and lots of sun to produce their fabulous summer blooms.
Watch for an exciting transformation: first it develops a hairy bud on the plant which grows longer over several days. If you notice a tapered tip then you better be prepared! The actual flower often blooms during the night and this can wilt within one day. If you fancy seeing this short-lived phenomenon, it might be a good idea to examine the Echinopsis every hour after the sunset. You might even want to set up a timelapse video while it happens, can you even imagine how great that would look?
Thus, if you are searching for interesting flowering cacti then it is high time to pay your attention to Echinopsis.
5. Rebutia Crown Cactus:
Unlike the Echinopsis cacti that wow with a single large bloom, Rebutia perplexa spreads out its floral charm with clusters of beautiful pink flowers in the spring. This flowering cactus is an easy-to-care-for addition to any collection, thriving in bright light and needing its soil to dry out between waterings.
Rebutia cacti, originally from Bolivia and Argentina, are known for their wide variety. If you’re drawn to this species, explore others in the genus, like Rebutia albiflora for white blooms or Rebutia albopectinata for striking orange flowers. With over a dozen species, there’s a perfect flowering cactus for everyone!
6. Opuntia Cactus (Prickly pear):
Rebutia cacti, originally from Bolivia and Argentina, are known for their wide variety. If you’re drawn to this species, explore others in the genus, like Rebutia albiflora for white blooms or Rebutia albopectinata for striking orange flowers. With over a dozen species, there’s a perfect flowering cactus for everyone!
These cacti are native to nearly all parts of the Americas, including the south of South America, North America, Central America, and even to Canada. Majority of the flowering cacti in this genera will bloom stunningly with yellow, orange or even pink flowers. In case you are interested in a specific beautiful variety try Opuntia gosseliana. Not only does it bear beautiful flowers but if grown under strong sunlight the segment bear more or a purplish than a green color.
So no matter if you are attracted to their bright colors of the flowers or their strange shapes, flowering cacti such as Opuntia will add a cheerful touch to your collection.
7. Mammillaria Cactus:
Obviously, fans of cacti have probably been anticipating this moment – get ready for a brief tour around the amazing Mammillaria genus. Luckily, this genus is the largest of all cacti’s genera with over 200 species, so the chance to admire flowering cacti is quite high. In my opinion one of the most engaging aspects of growing Mammillaria is how the flowers of the tiny plant are situated around the top of the cactus in a circular shape like a floral crown.
Mammillaria cacti are universally available, you can buy them in any garden center or specialized store. However, it’s somewhat unfortunate that you may often find them accompanied with fake straw flowers trilled on. Often these plants have an orb or cylindrical growth habit and may be grown as dense clusters, making for a beautiful collection.
The best part? With recent advancements in breedings, most species available are fairly hardy and perfect for instant Oceanic setup. Hence, if you are a newcomer to the cactus world, do not worry, and you can witness the flowers of flowering cactus. If you are in need of some bright color or an interesting shape, Mammillaria is going to come through for you.
8. Astrophytum Star Cactus:
Okay now let’s go back to desert flowering cactus at least for the rest of the list!. If you have ever been to plant stores or the garden centers, you must have come across Astrophytums which are one of the most common species of cacti there is.
Most members of the Astrophytum genus are native to Mexico, but only quite a few of these spectacular plants grow wild in their natural environment. And from collectors, it seems that Astrophytum asterias are preferred due to their handsome hues and beautiful flowers. There’s even a more diverse one with colours which include yellow, red, and orange even though most of those are extremely costly. You may also see Astrophytum myriostigma in stores as another recognised variety.
Saguaro typically bloom in mid summer and have one flower at the top of its crown. Usually the blooms are found in cream or yellow color though there are also pink flowering varieties. However, do not expect fast growth because Astrophytum is slow-growing, and it takes time even for your flowering cactus plant to decide to bloom.
9. Holiday Cactus(Schlumbergera bridgesii):
Most people must have come across the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii), one of the tropical cacti species. However it does have some closer relatives and among them we can name: Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri). All these beauties appear around the holiday after which they are named, but they are often mistaken and misidentified – even at stores.
When it comes to flowers they do not differ from each other while they are all great and both have gorgeous hot or pale pink, coral, or white flowers. These flowering cactus plants are very easy to maintain. These varieties prefer bright, indirect light to avoid the strong direct sunlight. Also, they have to have a good continuous stretch of darkness at night, early in the evening in the fall to set those beautiful buds.
Therefore, for people who are fond of adding some kind of decorations in their house to make it appear lively during the Christmas season; these flowering cactus are perfect accompaniments.
Curious to know how to get your cactus to flower?
If you’ve got a few stashed on your windowsill for years not once observing any flowers, don’t worry too much – it is not entirely your fault! Common house cactus tends to produce flowers less often and in smaller quantities than those growing outside. If your cactus is placed where it does not receive enough light or it is watered at the wrong time, it will not have the energy to bloom great flowers.
First, let’s discuss the right soil. Some of the most popular, the chubby ones, grow best in gritty soil; you don’t want their roots to rot or hold too much water. They also go bad rather quickly – so be sure to only water them once the soil has totally dried. Having a drainage hole in the planter should be obligatory since the plant will require watering.
Next up is light! Despite the fact that there are a lot of species of cacti, they adore light and direct sunlight in particular but it is different from types of plants which are used to be in the jungle. Caption: The American Cactus When your cactus no longer gets adequate sun—sometimes even light from a south-facing window is insufficient—you may have to take it outside during the summer months.
It is best to transfer your cactus to a sunny, protected area in your garden or in your balcony if night temperature is above 50°F. This summer holiday actually helps one to blossom! It takes cacti at least 2 years to bloom, but you may get flowers the second year since some cacti are early bloomers.
Well, it is clear that with a little love and appropriate conditions it is quite possible to bring your cacti into bloom.
