Making a cactus garden

Cactus are perennial plants with thick herbaceous stems. They belong to the family Cactaceae, with about 1750 species. They are distinguished from other succulent plants by plant hairs, barbed bristles and areoles. Most cactus species do not have leaves, some cactus have scanty leaves, and some have their leaves as spines. This ensures that water is greatly maximized as the small surface area does not allow moisture loss. Their enlarged stem carries out photosynthesis. This plant comes in different shapes and sizes.

Cactus is on top of our list if you are looking for a low-maintenance plant. Cactus are succulents, meaning water is stored in their stem and foliage, and this plant is built to tolerate drought. They have areoles which ensures the sprouting of cacti’s spines, branches, leaves and flowers. If you are planning to grow cactus in your garden, you should cultivate them in containers.

Now, let's talk about the cactus you can grow in your gardens and indoors.

Acanthocereus tetragonus is also known as the Fairy castle cactus. This specie can grow as high as 6 feet and do well in the sun.
Carnegiea gigantea, also called Saguaroas Cactus, is native to the Sonoran desert and has a slow growth rate. It can live up to 200 years.
Christmas cactus, known botanically as Schlumbergera bridgesii is native to Brazil and blooms yearly during the holidays. This specie does well in the humid region and needs more water than the desert species. It does not require direct sunlight and will survive with bright indirect light,
Star Cactus is a perfect small plant for an indoor garden and does well with plenty of sunlight.
Mammillaria hahniana, also known as Old Lady Cactus, is an easy-to-grow plant covered with spines and white powder puff.
Opuntia microdasys is also referred to as Bunny ears or angel wings, this specie lacks spine, but it has glochids (short, hairy spines with polka dot appearance)
Blue Columnar Cactus is a fast-growing plant that attained a height of 30 feet and did well in sunlight, allowing it to thrive.
Moon cactus is a hybrid with two species of cacti grafted together and bringing colours to the garden. It has a short lifespan and can wither off under direct sunlight.
The Easter cactus is an evergreen plant, and the flower blooms in spring. It does not do well under direct sunlight.
Parodia prefers less sunlight and requires more water than other species. This specie's flower comes in different colours; yellow, red, orange and pink, depending on the variety.

Now that we have discussed the species let us talk about the cultivation.

Selecting a container: using a container allows you to control the environmental conditions that affect your plant. Ensure the container has holes to drain the soil to avoid waterlogging properly. If you live in the desert region, you can conveniently plant your cactus into the soil.
Picking the soil: get soil that can absorb water, has the appropriate micronutrient and is appropriately aerated.
Pick your plant: you can grow the cactus from seeds or get a seedling from a nursery and transplant it.

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