Getting To Know The Major Types Of Cactus

Getting To Know The Major Types Of Cactus

If you are planning to use cactus plants as home decorations, you need to know about the major types of cactus that can be found all over the world. Knowing the different types of cactus is very important to help you decide which species you would like to have. Furthermore, knowing the different types of cactus can give you some ideas as to where to get these types of plants. Note that exotic species of cactus can be quite challenging especially if you have no idea where these plants originate.

The Columnar Cactus

The columnar cactus is one of the most popular types of cactus in the country. These types of cactus can be easily spotted in the deserts of the United States. The columnar cacti include the species like the carnegiea, the stenocereus, the lophocereus and many others. Although these genera of the columnar cactus may look a little bit different from each other in terms of size and shape, they have the same characteristics such as the cylindrical stems with pleats or ribs running from top to the bottom.

The Barrel Cactus

When it comes to the types of cactus, the barrel cactus is one of the favorites among landscape artists. Many landscape companies love this type of cactus because they are easy to fit into the general theme of gardens and lawns. On the other hand, the barrel cactus can also be a good indoor decoration because of its shape and its flowers. Flower bearing barrel cactus can easily fit into pots and used as table top decorations.

The Hedgehog Cactus

Although most of us do not usually encounter this type of cactus, "hedgehog cactus" is an umbrella term encompassing 45 species. They originated from Mexico and are named hedgehog for they spiny fruits they produce. The hedgehog cactus is characterized by cylindrical stems with ribs. They do not usually grow more than 12 inches tall and bears lovely flowers from the side of its stems.

Pincushion Cactus

Unlike the hedgehog cactus, the central spine of the pincushion cactus is often hooked. This type of cactus has short but dense spines surrounding a longer hooked central spine. The pincushion cactus produces lovely flowers pink and lavender flowers during the summer. The flowers usually become dormant throughout the winter. More 175 species of this cactus can be found all over the world and 10 of these species can be found in the Arizona desert.