Cactus species for the garden and window sill

Cacti belong to the group of succulents. They are plants that are particularly capable of storing water. This means that they have adapted to dry locations. Among the succulents, cacti are the most species-rich group. Several thousand species of cactus are known. They are popular plants for collectors.

Classification of the cacti

• The multitude of cactus species is easiest to divide based on their origin. The largest group grows in deserts and arid areas. Column and ball cacti dominate here. The second, smaller group includes the leaf and limb cacti that inhabit the jungle.
• All cactus species are originally from the American continent. Some grow in the high mountains of South America and can therefore also tolerate frost. Most cacti, however, have to be overwintered frost-free.
• Some species of interest to the gardener belong to the group of leaf cacti. So the Christmas and Easter cacti and the "Queen of the Night".
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• Desert dwellers include popular species such as the bishop's hats and the easy-to-cultivate mammillaria. But prickly pear cacti and opuntia also belong here.


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Types of cactus for the window sill

• Beginner cacti are smaller species that flower quickly even as young plants. Because the blooming cacti are really interesting. All cactus species of the Mammillaria group belong to it. But Rebutia, Echinocereus and Gymnocalycium species also flower well. They are all small spherical or columnar cacti.
• The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) and Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis) are two types of cactus that often bloom in our homes. Both are leaf cacti that can also be outside in summer. Like many other cacti, they need a phase with temperatures around 12 to 15 degrees in winter.
• The “Queen of the Night” rewards the gardener with a magnificent flower up to 30 centimeters in size. This appears around midnight and only for a few hours. The long shoots of this species (Selenicereus grandiflorus) need a trellis and therefore a lot of space.

Cacti in the garden

• A few species of cactus can survive in our gardens even in winter. There are different types of opuntia. You can find specialist nurseries on the Internet where you can purchase these types of cactus.
• It is important for these opuntia that they are sunny and protected from rain. A small canopy is ideal, which keeps the rain out but does not create any shade.
• In summer, many of the cacti that they had on the window sill during the cold season like to stand outside. They are sun worshipers, but they should be protected from excessive moisture.
• Ideally, you have a frost-free but cold one for your cacti Glasshouse in the garden. Under these conditions there are hardly any limits to your passion for collecting cactus species.