Plants in family cactaceae
Mammillaria microhelia
Mammillaria microhelia, also known as golden stars, is a small columnar cactus endemic to Mexico's hot deserts. It features cream or brown spines and creamy-white to purplish flowers in spring. This slow-growing cactus prefers bright light and careful watering when the soil is dry, making it a resilient choice for desert gardens.
Consolea rubescens 'Road Kill Cactus'
Consolea rubescens, commonly known as 'Road Kill Cactus', is a drought-tolerant plant that thrives in ample light, preferably a south-facing location. It requires well-draining soil and benefits from periods of drought between waterings. This cactus is known for its resilience and unique appearance.
Matucana aureiflora
Matucana aureiflora is a flattened to globular cactus native to Peru, known for its curly amber spines and yellow to golden flowers. It grows slowly in nature but faster in a greenhouse, preferring full sun to partial shade.
Cochemiea guelzowiana
Cochemiea guelzowiana is a small cactus known for its bright magenta flowers, large for a Mammillaria. It requires regular watering but is sensitive to overwatering and needs high light levels for flowering. This cactus is native to Mexico and can be challenging to grow into clumps.
Chamaelobivia 'Rose Quartz'
Chamaelobivia 'Rose Quartz' is a hybrid cactus known for its long, bright green stems with short spines and vibrant red funnel-shaped flowers. This plant blooms in late spring and early summer, adding a splash of color to its surroundings. It thrives in well-lit environments and requires a drying period between waterings, making it a low-maintenance choice for cactus enthusiasts. 'Rose Quartz' prefers sandy soil and granular medium, and it should be repotted every couple of years to maintain its health and vigor.
Hatiora salicornioides 'Dancing Bones'
Hatiora salicornioides 'Dancing Bones' is a drought-tolerant succulent with a unique spiral appearance. It thrives in sunny areas and requires well-draining soil, making it a low-maintenance choice for plant enthusiasts.
Copiapoa echinoides
Copiapoa echinoides is a cactus originating from Northern Chile, characterized by its solitary or clumped globose-shaped stem. The stem color ranges from brown to grayish-green, and it grows to a height of 15 to 30 cm. This winter-dormant species bears pale yellow flowers and is drought-resistant, thriving in sun to partial shade.
Disocactus anguliger 'Fishbone Cactus'
Disocactus anguliger, commonly known as the Fishbone Cactus, is a drought-tolerant plant that reproduces in various ways. It prefers sunny areas and requires ample light, ideally in a south-facing location. This cactus is a unique addition to any collection, known for its distinctive zigzag-shaped stems.
Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii is a spineless cactus native to the US and Mexico, forming a 3-foot tall by 6-foot wide mound. It features grey-green pads and bright yellow flowers in August, followed by large red "pears." This deer-resistant plant thrives in well-drained soils and is a striking addition to xeriscapes.
Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum
Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum is a solitary cactus from Argentina, characterized by its dark skin and almost useless spines. It flowers readily as a young seedling, producing white to pale pink blooms from late spring to autumn. This cactus prefers bright light with some direct sun and is suitable for container growing, making it a unique addition to any collection.
Tephrocactus articulatus
Tephrocactus articulatus, also known as the Paper Spine Cactus, is a drought-tolerant plant that thrives in full sun and well-draining soil. It features green and white flowers and can grow up to 17 inches tall. This cactus is winter dormant and requires little watering, making it ideal for xeriscaping.
Stenocactus vaupelianus
Stenocactus vaupelianus is a slow-growing cactus with a pale green body and dense, thin white or yellow spines. It produces yellowish flowers and prefers well-draining soil with regular watering in summer. This cactus thrives in lots of light and partial shade, making it a unique addition to any collection.
Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi
Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi is a hardy, drought-tolerant cactus that thrives in sunny areas with porous, well-draining soil. It requires little watering and can withstand drought periods between waterings. This plant is suitable for experienced growers who can provide ample light and avoid wet soil conditions.
Tephrocactus articulatus 'Paper Spine Cactus'
Tephrocactus articulatus 'Paper Spine Cactus' is a drought-tolerant cactus that requires ample light and well-draining soil. It is known for its unusual appearance and ability to reproduce in various ways. This plant requires little watering and benefits from drought periods between waterings to prevent water-logging.
Gymnocalycium taningaense
Gymnocalycium taningaense is a small cactus species with brownish-grey stems and large protruding areoles. It produces creamy-white flowers and is known for its rapid growth and ease of flowering. This plant prefers a porous cactus mix soil and bright but filtered sunlight, making it a resilient choice for cactus enthusiasts.
Gymnocalycium berchtii
Gymnocalycium berchtii is a small cactus native to Argentina, known for its flattened shoots and funnel-shaped flowers. It grows slowly with a thick taproot and thrives in well-draining soil with bright indirect light.
Turbinicarpus lophophoroides
Turbinicarpus lophophoroides is a small, globose cactus endemic to Mexico, found in dry lowland grasslands and hot deserts. It is threatened by illegal collecting and habitat loss. This cactus has a greyish-green or bluish-green stem and produces large flowers for its genus. It requires well-drained soil with natural gypsum and infrequent watering, especially in winter. It is hardy to 24°F for short periods and prefers full or part sun exposure.
Cochemiea fraileana
Cochemiea fraileana is a unique cactus native to the southern Baja California Peninsula, thriving in dry, rocky environments. It features cylindrical green stems that turn reddish in full sunlight, adorned with pyramidal tubercles and fibrous roots. The plant is notable for its light pink flowers with darker pink lines, blooming from May to September, and producing red fruit with small black seeds. It has a distinctive areole structure with white radial spines and dark brown central spines. This cactus is sensitive to overwatering and requires well-draining soil and maximum sunlight exposure. It is a pioneer species in rock colonization, contributing to soil formation through processes like nitrogen fixation. While frost can damage it, no major threats are currently known to this species.
Cereus forbesii 'Ming Thing'
Cereus forbesii 'Ming Thing' is a hardy, drought-tolerant cactus with a sculpted club-like shape and wool-like areoles. It grows up to 12 inches tall and features large, funnel-shaped white flowers with purple hues. This slow-growing plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and requires well-draining soil.
Mammillaria karwinskiana ssp. nejapensis
Mammillaria karwinskiana ssp. nejapensis is a cactus from Oaxaca, Mexico, with globular stems and silvery white spines. It forms large clusters over time and blooms with funnel-shaped flowers in spring to summer.
Isolatocereus dumortieri
Isolatocereus dumortieri is a cactus with arborescent growth, reaching up to 23 feet in height. It has glaucous green stems with reddish-brown wool and short spines, producing tubular flowers and ellipsoid fruit. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in sunny areas with well-draining soil.
Echinocereus russanthus
Echinocereus russanthus, commonly known as the greenflowered torch cactus, is a hardy cactus that can withstand temperatures as low as -4°F. It typically has a single stem but may branch to form clusters, producing small purplish flowers. This cactus requires good drainage and prefers drier, cooler conditions in winter, thriving in both shade and full sun.
Mammillaria spinosissima 'Un Pico Cristata'
Mammillaria spinosissima 'Un Pico Cristata' is an easy-to-grow cactus cultivar that forms a cluster of stems highlighted by reddish spines. It produces rings of purple-pink blooms and requires regular watering in summer, while needing to be kept dry with ample airflow in winter. This cactus is quite frost-resistant if kept dry and prefers bright sun, filtered sunlight, or afternoon shade. It tends to bronze in strong light.
Cochemiea saboae ssp. haudeana
Cochemiea saboae ssp. haudeana is a mat-forming cactus with small, soft-bodied stems and large, dark lilac-pink to pinkish magenta flowers. It has a thick tuberous root system and requires good drainage and a mineral-based potting mix. This cactus is susceptible to over-watering and rot and should be kept dry in winter.