The Desert Garden: Cacti and Succulents

All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti! There's your first tip about the bizarre and unusual plants of the succulent world. If you have the collector's gene, these plants are for you.

Echinocereus reichenbachii ssp. baileyi

You might think you know cacti, but the leafy Pereskia and the epiphyitic jungle cacti of Rhipsalis will challenge long held beliefs about this plant family. Tips and techniques for growing cacti will help you succeed with many of the hundreds of unique and beautifully flowered species of the family Cactaceae.

Succulent lovers can create their own "Bazaar of the Bizarre." I can think of no other plant group with as much interest in plant form. Sure, many succulents have wonderful flowers, but it's their form that drives growers wild. From cactus mimics to stone mimics, lumpy bumpy caudex formers, melted-wax blobs, beautiful rosettes to impossible geometric formations; succulents run the gamut from asymmetric chaos to mathematical perfection. You can grow the full range on a windowsill.

Care of Cacti and Succulents

Hop over to the Back Bench for a cautionary tale on the placement of cacti in your growing area.
Pests of Cacti and Succulents
Sparring with spines: Rx for your fingers...

Hardy Cacti and Succulents

A Cactus and Succulent Garden in the Northeast

Favorite Cacti

Favorite Succulents

Stapeliad and asclepiad lovers rejoice! (Yes the review is finally done...). Check out the review of Peter V. Bruyns Stapeliads of Southern Africa and Madagascar on BotanicalGardening.com. Now you can decide for yourself whether to make the investment!

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