10 Best American Cactus Plants for Hot Gardens to Buy
In this actionable article with real world experience, we'll reveal to you the most interesting traditional and ntive American Cactus plants, also including their needs so that you can grow them in your garden, uses, and the experiences we've had with them.
To sum it up, these are the 5 best American Cacti:
Saguaro Cactus
Barrel Cactus
Hedgehog Cactus
Organ Pipe Cactus
Queen of the Night
Saguaro Cactus
Height: 12-18 m (40-60 ft)
Color Varieties: White flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
After growing it, we found that the Saguaro cactus thrives with minimal watering and can become an amazing tall cactus plant in any garden. Its height and iconic arms make it a must-have for your hot green space.
Opuntia
Height: 1-2 m (3-6 ft)
Color Varieties: Yellow, red, purple flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Prickly Pear Cactus or Opuntia is a versatile and hardy plant with yummy fruits. After planting it, we saw that its colorful flowers and edible pads make it both attractive and functional. It’s also incredibly drought-tolerant.
Barrel Cactus
Height: 0.6-1.2 m (2-4 ft)
Color Varieties: Yellow, orange, red flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, sandy soil
Barrel cacti are perfect for adding texture to your garden. We experienced that they require very little maintenance and their bright flowers add a splash of color during the blooming season, but they fit also amazingly into hot front yards for landscaping with cacti.
Cylindropuntia
Height: 1-3 m (3-10 ft)
Color Varieties: Yellow, pink, purple flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, rocky soil
Cholla cactus, with its striking spiny branches, can create a dramatic focal point. After planting, we noticed it thrives in well-drained, rocky soil and provides an interesting element to the garden with its flowers that love full sun.
Hedgehog Cactus
Height: 15-60 cm (6-24 in)
Color Varieties: Pink, red, yellow flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, sandy soil
The Hedgehog cactus is a colorful, compact, and Japanese-like cactus. After growing it, we found that its vibrant blooms and manageable size make the low-maintenance maintenance cactus plant ideal for small spaces and rock gardens.
Fishhook Cactus
Height: 5-20 cm (2-8 in)
Color Varieties: Pink, white, yellow flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Fishhook cactus, named for its hooked spines, is a charming addition to any tiny cactus collection. We saw that it does well in pots and garden beds alike, adding delicate beauty with its small, colorful American flowers.
Queen of the Night
Height: 1-2 m (3-6 ft)
Color Varieties: White flowers
Growing Conditions: Partial to full sun, well-drained soil
Queen of the Night, scientifically known as (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) is a unique cactus with stunning white, night-blooming flowers. We observed that it grows best in well-drained soil and adds a really unique touch to your garden, even in shade.
Organ Pipe Cactus
Height: 4-6 m (13-20 ft)
Color Varieties: White flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, rocky soil
Organ Pipe cactus has tall, columnar stems that resemble organ pipes. We found that it grows well in rocky, well-drained soil and its night-blooming cactus flowers attract pollinators like bats.
Totem Pole Cactus
Height: 3-4.5 m (10-15 ft)
Color Varieties: Rarely flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Totem Pole cactus is known for its smooth, spineless stems that look like an African cactus, but also as being a great cactus for indoor spaces. We observed that it thrives in hot, dry conditions, and its unusual form adds a nice touch to indoors but also landscapes, as it can grow taller than a human.
Blue Flame Cactus
Height: 4-5 m (13-16 ft)
Color Varieties: White flowers
Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Blue Flame cactus is admired for its blue-green color and tall, columnar growth. We found that it thrives in full sun and adds a striking vertical element to the garden.
Sources
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Saguaro: Saguaro - Wikipedia
Barrel Cactus: Barrel Cactus (usda.gov)
Opuntia: Opuntia - Wikipedia
Hedgehog Cactus: Hedgehog cactus | Britannica
Fishhook cactus: Fishhook cactus - Wikipedia
Organ-pipe cactus: Organ-pipe cactus | Britannica
Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Wikipedia
Totem Pole Cactus: Totem Pole Cactus (thespruce.com)
More information on American cacti: Use Cacti for Landscaping (lawnstarter.com), Cacti of North America - Wikipedia, Cactus - Wikipedia, Cacti and succulents | UMN Extension, Growing Cactus (tamu.edu)
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Calin has been in the garden industry for 5 years and knows a lot about gardening and plants. He is the founder of this website and is responsible for most of the content.
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Helga has been fascinated with plants since childhood and is an avid gardening specialist who grows various plants. She has reviewed and fact-checked multiple articles on this website.