cactus

Growing Beavertail Cactus: A Desert Gem That’s Easier Than You Think I collected a beavertail cactus pad on a hike in Joshua Tree after it had already broken off the mother plant. I let it callus for three weeks, stuck it in dry sand, and within a year it had rooted and produced three new

Why You’ll Love Lace Cactus I bought a lace cactus because the dense clusters of small globular stems looked like a pile of pale green buttons. The spines are fine and hair-like, giving it a soft appearance that belies the sharp tips underneath. I’ve spent years nurturing these spiky beauties, and today I’m sharing everything

THE GOLDEN BARREL CACTUS: A DESERT JEWEL FOR YOUR GARDEN I bought a golden barrel cactus the size of a baseball fifteen years ago. It’s now roughly the size of a basketball, and the ribs have become so pronounced it looks like a perfect geometric sphere. Why I’m Obsessed With This Desert Beauty That golden-spined

Living Rock Cactus: Nature’s Master of Desert Camouflage – A Complete Care Guide A neighbor gave me offsets from her living rock cactus after I admitted I’d already killed two succulents. Those tiny stone-like bodies have sat unchanged on my windowsill for three years, flowering every autumn without any fuss. The first time I spotted

Claret Cup Cactus: The Crown Jewel of Desert Gardens (A Complete Growing Guide) Nothing stops a garden visitor in their tracks quite like a claret cup cactus in full bloom. I first saw a claret cup cactus blooming in a neighbor’s rock garden one April morning. The scarlet flowers against the blue-green stems stopped me

Growing the Magnificent San Pedro Macho Cactus: A Complete Guide The San Pedro Macho cactus is the friendly giant of the columnar world, fat blue-green ribs that grow faster than you’d expect and look ancient almost immediately. Why You’ll Love This Cactus Tall, sculptural, and surprisingly fast-growing for a cactus. It brings an instant prehistoric

The Desert’s Most Misunderstood Plant I picked up a chunk of desert cholla off an Arizona trail last year. Thick gloves and all, the spines still found a way through the fabric. The thing rooted in a gritty mix within weeks and now throws out fresh segments on my patio every summer. Respect. These spiny

Hey there, fellow plant enthusiasts! My red torch cactus was a gift from a friend who’d given up on its slow pace. Two years in a south window and it bloomed red tubes that looked like little fireworks, worth the wait. Why You’ll Love This Cactus Columnar stems topped with fiery red flowers, it’s the

Growing the Magnificent Peruvian Apple Cactus: A Complete Guide My first peruvian apple cactus came from a cutting I stuck in coarse sand and forgot about for a month. It rooted on its own and now produces white flowers every summer that last exactly one night. Ever wondered what it’s like to grow a cactus