Cactus or Cacti?!
As I am sitting here and writing this article on a hot fall day, I am starting to think about plants that can handle this heat and always look good. And that plant would be a cactus.
First of all, we need to explain what a cactus is. Here is a surprise, cactus is a succulent,b it does not have leaves. Instead it has “areoles immature flattened short sections with felt, spines, bristles or hairs” as Erik Haustein explains in The Cactus Handbook. Cacti also have flowers and fruit. And their roots are very shallow so the rain water can be absorbed quickly. Additionally, cactus is a plant that can store its water in its stem. And because of all of that, the cactus loves full sun.
How about cactus vs cacti, what is this about? Cactus is one plant, cacti is more than one plant. It is simply a grammar thing. Who knew!? The word ‘cactuses’ is used in informal casual speech, by people who like plants and don’t speak Latin. So, you get to choose.
What is one plant that most of my clients do not like? That would be cacti or ‘anything spikey’ as most of them would say. I am this crazy garden lady that loves and appreciates every plant. So I do love cacti and I have some myself. I have this spot in my garden that is hot and nothing grows, so I stick some cacti and aloes in it and I do not have to do much else.
Cacti can be very handsome and it gives a nice height to the garden. Plus it gives an interesting texture to the space. It always looks good and some of them may surprise you with a pretty bloom. What is important in choosing the cacti for your garden is the size. Some do grow very big and they can fall (remember shallow roots), so planting it next to the house, and start with reading the label. If you want to keep the cactus small, plant it in a pot, it will grow as much as the pot will allow it.
Beside the tall cacti, there are plenty that are short. I love the barrel cacti, it looks like a spiky ball. There are some cacti that come with the prettiest flowers and they even change color of their stem, showing off some pretty purple colors.
There is also a cousin of cacti that I love. It is called euphorbia. It has some small leaves and the most beautiful flowers usually in red, pink, and yellow. It blooms for the longest time.
So if I convince you to try a cactus in your garden. Read a label, see how big it gets. Find a sunny spot and plant it. I would use a cactus mix since our Culver City soil is full of clay. Also protect your body. Good gloves and tools like kitchen thongs work wonderful with moving the plant. Pieces of carpet are also a great technique. Whatever you do, do not touch it with bare hands. Plant it somewhere where people cannot bump into it.
I am a strong believer that all plants are beautiful in their own way. So do not turn away from cacti just because it is spiky. Put them in a sunny spot and enjoy it.
Happy Gardening!
Joanna Kotwis
