Cacti
Cacti, that's where it all started for us. When I, Bo, was twelve years old I was allowed to pick out a few plants for my room. This was a carnivorous plant with those little bites and a cactus. A beautiful blue columnar cactus. Which later turned out to be a Pilosocereus magnificus. These were my first plants and I had little experience with them. The carnivorous plant soon died from an abundance of flies it got, but the cactus didn't do anything with it and soon I was intrigued by the appearance and the different shapes of cacti. One soon became more and many more followed. My first cactus is still alive by the way!
In this blog I will take you through the genus of cacti with its many beautiful shapes.
Curious yet? Click here to view all our cacti .
Origin and history
A bit of history and origin. Cacti are mainly found on the continents of South and North America. Here they grow in many countries from Canada to Chile. But how is it possible that a cactus has become an indispensable part of our lives? Native to the New World, cacti were first documented by European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were fascinated by these exotic plants and brought them back to Europe, where they quickly became popular as ornamental plants. Today, cacti are loved for their unique appearance and the ease with which they can be cared for. Many different shapes and types of cacti are cultivated and there is a cactus that excites everyone.
Cacti also play an important role in the culture and economy of many indigenous peoples in America. They are used for food, medicinal purposes and as building material, the latter often being fences or terrain boundaries. A hedge with cacti can serve this purpose well. But the cactus is also deeply rooted in culture. The iconic saguaro cactus, which can grow to a height of more than 12 meters, is a symbol of the American Southwest and is protected by law because of its ecological and cultural value.
Easy to care for
Why are cacti so well protected from the sun? Do they really like it and can they tolerate little water so well? Cacti have evolved in some of the most extreme environments on earth, where intense sunshine and long periods of drought are the norm. Their unique adaptations make them perfectly suited to these conditions.
First of all, the thick, fleshy plant bodies of cacti are designed to store water. They act as reservoirs, allowing the cactus to hold onto water during rare rain showers and use it slowly during dry periods. This means that cacti can survive for weeks, or even months, without water. In addition to rain showers, some cacti survive on the mist or sea mist that settles on them in the early morning. This condenses on the spines and then falls down the cactus in droplets.
The roots of cacti are often superficial but widespread, which allows them to quickly absorb water when it rains. Some cacti also have deep roots. This is also called a taproot. This goes a bit deeper into the earth, is often much larger than the plant itself and is used to store a lot of water. We often see this with cacti where the plant body does not have enough protection from the sun from its spines or other shelter in the environment. Because the cactus then mainly stores the water in a thick taproot, it hardly evaporates.
When it comes to sun protection, cacti have several clever adaptations. Their spines, which are actually modified leaves, not only help reduce water loss through evaporation, but also provide shade for the plant. This shade reduces the amount of direct sunlight that reaches the stem, which helps regulate temperature and keep the plant cool. Additionally, the spines often reflect sunlight, providing further protection from the intense heat.
Cacti also have a unique photosynthesis process. Unlike most plants, cacti open their stomata at night to take in carbon dioxide. You can think of stomata as small pores on the plant. During the day, these stomata remain closed to minimize water loss through evaporation. This process allows cacti to perform photosynthesis without losing much water.
All these adaptations make cacti extremely efficient survivors in sunny and dry climates. They thrive in conditions that would be unliveable for many other plants. Because of these adaptations, cacti are so easy to care for and it is not a problem if you forget to take care of them or go on holiday for a few weeks. What can you do wrong in care? That is simple, overwatering and a shady spot, actually the exact opposite of what they have to deal with in nature.
Do you want to know specific care? You can find this per plant in the product. You can also find more information in our blogs about general care and care per season.
Column, sphere or disc
Cacti have many different shapes, colours and spines. The three shapes in which you can divide most cacti are column, ball and disc-shaped. The column and ball-shaped cacti often have a plant body with ribs. On top of these ribs grow their areoles. These are often small round growth points from which the spines grow. Often the areoles are also covered with a small amount of wool.
The disc cactus is constructed slightly differently. The best-known disc cactus species is the Opuntia. Disc cacti often remind us of Mickey Mouse because the new discs often look like ears. In disc cacti, the new discs, which are often flat or cylindrical, grow on top of the old discs. From the sides and top, spines also grow from the areoles. These are often not covered with wool, but with very fine small spines called glochids.
When it comes to colours, cacti are not boring either. You have species that have a green, grey, purple, brown colour, but also intensely blue coloured species such as the Pilosocereus and Myrtillocactus. Many species also have colour in their spines. The spines of cacti can be brown, yellow, black and red in colour. Species from the genus Astrophytum are often completely covered with many small white dots and species from the genus Melocactus have a beautifully coloured cephalium on top.
In addition to the above described species, there are a number of other cacti that do not fully meet the above description. These are leaf cacti that often grow as epiphytes in nature on other plants. In culture, they are simply grown on potting soil. Leaf cacti often have fresh green fleshy elongated leaves. They are often night-flowering species that get beautiful large flowers. The flowers of these cacti produce a wonderfully sweet scent. Cactus species that you should think of here are Epiphyllym, Rhipsalis and Selenicereus.
You see, cacti have many different colors and growth forms. There is always something for you.
Cacti and flowers
We sometimes get the question, can cacti bloom then? I have never seen this. There are many cacti species that only bloom when they are very large. Because of this you actually do not see them bloom at our home. But there are also many smaller species that fortunately bloom very easily. Search for species such as: Mammillaria, Astrophytum, Gymnocalycium and Rebutia.
Cactus flowers come in many shapes and colors. But how do you get cacti to bloom? Cacti can bloom for several reasons. In nature, they do this for their reproduction. To get the bloom going, you can let the cacti overwinter in a cold, dry and light place. This will cause the cactus to go dormant and to guarantee new cacti, it will bloom in the spring. But another reason they bloom is simply because they like it with you. This is often an easier method than the first and can be achieved with just a little love and care, at home on the windowsill.
Do you like to sow cacti from your own cactus seeds? Then you can pollinate the flowers, so that hopefully seed berries will form. If this is interesting, click here for our pollination blog.
Funny Cactus Facts
- Did you know that a cactus can become very old with the right care? In nature, cacti have been found that are over 300 years old. So with a bit of luck, you can enjoy your cactus for a very long time.
- There are cacti with growth forms like a penis or breasts. Nicknames of these cacti are penis cactus and boobie cactus.
- There is a species of cactus that can 'walk'. The so-called walking cactus (Stenocereus eruca) grows horizontally on the ground and can move slowly by forming new roots while the older parts die off.
- Cacti can 'sing'. Some cacti, such as the Saguaro, can make a humming sound when wind blows through their needles. This is due to the vibrations created by the wind.
- The famous 'jumping cactus' or Jumping Cholla cactus has spines that detach easily and attach to anything that passes by, giving the appearance of 'jumping'.
Want to buy a cactus?
Are you curious about which cacti there are after reading this blog? Click here to view our entire range. Buy your cactus easily from us and, if you order before 2:00 PM, it will be safely and properly packaged and sent to you the same working day.
Not finished reading yet? Or would you like to know more about cacti? Then check out our other blogs below.
