Cactus

The name cactus derived from the Greek word kaktos, which means prickly plant. Cacti come in unusual shapes, sizes, textures and flower colors. Most have abandoned leaves and unusual body shapes to prevent loss of water. Some are ribbed or segmented and they may be covered with decorative spines, bristles or hairs.

We have a nice selection of cacti at Dan Schantz Greenhouse. We have from tiny potted cactus up to 10” pots; some with a single variety and some that are cacti gardens. At any given time we have many varieties of cactus. This is a list of what we generally have in our greenhouse:

Echeueria
Aloe
Euphorbia
Espostoa Ianata
Oreocereus
Echinocactus		 Synadenium Rubra
Desert Rose Aoneum
Echeueria
Jade
Zebra Plant
Grafted Cactus		 Ric Rac-Epiphyllum
Agave-Spanish Bayonet
Portulacauia Varigata
Crown of Thorns

 

Origin: Southwestern USA, Central and S. America, and Southern Canada.

Family: Cactaceae

Most succulents and cacti grow for only a few months out of every year and for the rest of the time they are resting and have very few needs. With some exceptions a potted cactus will try to order its life according to the changing seasons by growing mostly in the spring and fall and resting shortly in the hottest part of summer and a much longer sleep through the winter. It is important to provide plenty of water during periods of growth and even more important to withhold water while these plants are resting.

Cacti grown on windowsills facing south usually flourish. The next best exposure is light from an east or west window since it can provide direct sun for part of the day. If you wish, you can place the plants outdoors in summer. The main trick to growing cacti is proper watering. Many cacti have been killed from over watering during the winter. If the weather is cloudy, or even predicted to be cloudy, don't water. If in doubt whether the soil is dry, don't water. When watering, apply only a small amount to moisten the soil area around the roots. Allow the soil to become dry before watering again. Do not water over the top of the plant as this can promote fungus.

Maintain the temperature during the growth period (usually spring and summer) at 60°F at night and 10 to 15° warmer during the day. During the dormant period (usually fall and winter), reduce the temperature to 45 to 55°F. If most of your rooms are warmer than this, then place your cacti near a window (but not touching it) where the temperature may be five to 10° cooler than in the middle of the room.

Fertilize the cacti several times during the growth period with a liquid fertilizer. Products labeled 5-10-5 or 10-20-10, and those containing fish emulsion, are all good choices. Follow directions on the label carefully. For repotting, use a soil mix prepared for cacti. Or make your own from one part coarse builder's sand, one part loam soil, and one part peat moss.

Finally, if you brush against your cactus and get a few spines stuck in your fingers, use heavy duty tape (sticky side to the spines) to pull them out.