Cacti are a family of perennial flowering plants. Originally originated in South America. "Cactus" comes from the Greek word for unknown plants. Perhaps that is why many species are still mistakenly considered cacti.
Types of cacti with leaves
Many succulent plants look really similar to cacti. Close relatives of cacti do not have an axillary bud or thorn. Also, cacti differ in the structure of the flower, which, in fact, is the fruit of the plant. More cactus flowers arise along with the growth of the bud. Some species bloom easily every year, while others bloom very rarely. The life of a flower lasts from several hours to several weeks.
For example, cacti of the Pereskioideae family are shrubs with round stems and flat leaves. Bud spines appear in the leaf axils. The flowers are large, can be single or collected in inflorescences, live during the day. Opuntioideae cacti usually have flat or cylindrical stems. The flowers of these cacti are also large, often solitary, bloom for a long time.
Spherical cacti
The largest cactus family is the Cactoideae. These plants have no leaves at all. The flowers are very large, but they remain open only at night or during the day, they quickly fade. One of the most beautiful indoor cactus species is Astrophytum. The flowers of these cacti are small, but usually numerous, so the plant looks very beautiful. This species blooms for a long time, from mid-summer to late autumn.
Echinopsis is one of the most unpretentious cacti with funnel-shaped flowers up to 15 cm in diameter, stem length up to 30 cm in various colors - from white to purple. Adult plant specimens can produce more than 20 flowers at a time. Flowering lasts 1-3 days.
Selenicereus grandiflorus are large-flowered cacti that have a fragrant smell. Frailea is a miniature plant that blooms with large white or yellow beautiful flowers. The spherical stem of this plant is usually no more than 10 cm in diameter.
Creeping cacti or elongated plants
Ghamaecereus is a creeping cactus species. Forms a continuous cover of shoots no more than 10 cm in size and a stem diameter of about 1 cm. The color is large red flowers, which appear every summer with good care. Wilcoxia is a slender cactus with dainty pink flowers. Depending on the variety, it can grow from 40 cm to 2 meters.
Low humidity conditions are required for optimal development of these plants. Timely fertilizing with fertilizers for cacti is favorable. Adequate watering in summer and less watering in winter will be beneficial. You also need the timely transplantation of young cacti. By the way, the plant will bloom only in a cramped pot, and it is better to install it in a sunny place.
