Desert cacti are the most easily recognizable features of dry arid landscapes , especially in Arizona , Utah , Nevada , and California . Succulent plant life that thrive in the desert must withstand periods of drouth , hot Lord’s Day , and nutritious - deficient stain . In addition , desolate cacti that fly high in the southwesterly United States must endure immobilise temperature during the night .
Desert cacti are relatively easy to name in barren landscapes and desiccated comeuppance . Typically , thedesert plantsare columnar , unripe , and cover in penetrating or soft spine . However , some common cacti rise in the desert are barrel - shaped or have flat , home base - like leaves and prickly pear fruit . In addition , many cacti have colorful , jazzy bloom that bloom at various metre of the year .
This article is a templet for identifying a wide variety of desert cacti . description and picture of succulent desert plants will help distinguish between various species .
How to Identify Desert Cacti
Toidentify a variety of cacti , count at the conformation of their succulent stems and whether there are sharp acantha . Then take note of the cactus form , size , and type of flowers . For case , some varieties of cacti have a ridged - like show or rib on their cylindrical stems . In demarcation , others are covered in small bumps or spiked areoles .
Cacti are atype of succulent plantbelonging to the familyCactaceae . There are over 190 species of cacti native to the United States . These are divided into several genera based on their characteristics , appearing , and home ground .
Types of Desert Cacti (With Pictures) – Identification Guide
allow ’s see in detail at several coinage of desert cacti , starting with the most iconic desert plant — the giant Carnegiea gigantea cactus .
Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)
The huge saguaro cactus has large blanched flowers and is coarse in Arizona Sonoran desert
The saguaro cactus is one of the largest cactus in Arizona . The identifying features of this desert cactus are its arm - same branches slue upward and impound to a thick columnlike root . The immature , cylindric base have a ribbed coming into court and are cover in spiny stems called arms .
The saguaro cactus is an tremendous , slow - rise desert flora that grows up to 52 ft . ( 16 m ) marvelous . The Brobdingnagian cactus bloom with bloodless , trumpet - like cactus blossom , each measure 5 ” ( 13 centimeter ) long . These attract hummingbirds and bees in later spring and summer when in bloom . These are followed by red edible fruits that mature in June .
The native range of the saguaro cactus is southern Arizona in the Sonoran desert . It thrives in mat , rocky country or on slopes . Their growth rate and mature height depend on rain ; therefore , saguaro cacti in western Arizona tend to be smaller than those in southern Arizona .
Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi)
The organ piping is a tall slow grow cactus with cylindrical erect root word that mature well in desert stain
The organ pipe cactus is a type of columnar cactus with cylindrical stem . The ribbed , green root produce up to 16 ft . ( 5 m ) tall and have prominent ridges running vertically . This clumping desert cactus is characterize by vertical stems that take care like a piping organ — hence its common name .
Attractive features of the multi - cauline desert cactus are its columnar material body , blanched flowers that open up in the evening , and large yield about the size of a tennis ball .
The native compass of the Hammond organ pipe cactus is mostly in the Sonoran Desert , southern Arizona , and Sinaloa and Baja California . The slow - growing cactus thrives in desert landscapes and withstands drought and rocky , unfertile soil .
Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia)
The prickly pear cactus is a unwashed mountain in desert landscapes with its cushioned leaves and orangish fruits
The prickly pear is a common cactus found in teetotal , desiccate desert environments . This iconic desert cactus has paddle - shaped , pad - same leaves report in barbed spine . Some features of this cactus genus are its showy blood-red , yellow or purple bloom and the orchis - form orange yield growing from the leafage tips .
The most common briery pear species in Arizona is the Amerindic fig genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ficus - indica ) . This genus of cacti can grow 16 to 23 foot . ( 5 – 7 m ) tall and is characterize by several large pads in a saucer shape forming a large brushwood .
The Indian fig opuntia has fruits tramp in colour from light-green to dingy red
The range of the bristled pear cactus is throughout the southern United States — from Florida through Texas and Arizona to California . Although it typically thrives in a dry habitat , the prickly Pyrus communis also performs well in cultivation .
Violet Prickly Pear (Opuntia gosseliniana)
The violet prickly pear is a common Arizona cactus with imperial pads and yellow flowers
The violet prickly pear is ordinarily seen in the dry Arizona landscape . This purple - colored desert cactus is identified by its numerous flat stems or pads that are a waxy blueish - gray color with deep purple coloring on the bow edges . These phonograph recording - shaped flat pads are covered in sharp , unbendable spine . Cactus flower are generally yellow .
The violet prickly pear grow expectant round stems on the main trunk . The unusual desert plant rise 1 to 5 foot . ( 0.3 – 1.5 m ) tall and up to 6 foot . ( 1.8 m ) wide . This works also grows well in sunny landscapes and is suitable for plant in a xeriscape garden or cactus garden .
The violet prickly pear is a cactus native to Baja California , Arizona , and the Sonoran Desert . The bombastic cactus thrive just as well in a typical desert biome as it does in grassland .
Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microdasys)
The bunny ears cactus is identify by its flat green pads and is easily grow in desiccate desert landscape
Also called rabbit ears , the bunny pinna cactus is a native desert plant in the Chihuahuan Desert . Like allOpuntiacactus plants , this green cactus is identified by its flattened , oval stem or digs . The multiple cactus stem organize a shrub - similar plant in the desert surroundings . The greenish stamp pad are encompass in fine burry rachis .
The characteristic features of the bunny ear cactus are its numerous stamp pad - comparable stems , off-white bumps , lily-livered bloom , and long fruits growing 2 ” ( 5 cm ) long . The shrub - like cactus plant grow 3 to 4 ft . ( 1 – 1.2 m ) tall and up to 5 ft . ( 1.5 m ) wide .
The bunny rabbit ears cactus is unremarkably receive in American comeuppance in the southwest — Arizona , California , Nevada , and New Mexico . This easy - to - grow cactus fly high in arid landscapes .
Bunny pinna cactus is a popularpotted succulent to grow indoors . Find out more about how tocare for cactus houseplant .
Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
The round shape of the gold barrel cactus looks attractive in xeriscape garden
The stout , circular physical body of the golden drum cactus makes it light to identify this tumid desert plant in Arizona landscapes . The golden barrel plant has tumid yellowish spikes covering the glob - shaped cactus . The cactus blooms with a ring of yellowed flowers , forming an attractive crown .
The tardily - growing golden yellow and greenish ball-shaped cactus turn up to 3 ft . ( 1 m ) tall and 2 ft . ( 0.6 m ) wide . This case of barrelful cactus is a popular addition to rock and roll gardens , desert gardens , or for spring up in containers .
The native ambit of the golden barrel cactus is Central Mexico . However , the rounded , spiked cactus thrive in the American southwestern United States in juiceless arid landscapes and sandy or vex soil .
Hedge Cactus (Cereus hildmannianus)
The improbable hedgerow cactus has cylindrical ribbed bow and beautiful white peak
The hedge cactus is a case of cactus tree diagram with a distinct body and succulent branches or stems . The blue - green stems are cylindric , with four to six rib running the length . The bow edges have small areoles and mild cerise vertebral column . This flower cactus has showy livid flowers and decorative fruits .
Also call the Peruvian orchard apple tree cactus , this tree - like desert plant grows up to 50 foot . ( 15 m ) tall . However , it ’s usually shorter when growing in residential landscape . In southwestern garden , the columnar stems grow as a large bush rather than a cactus tree .
The hedge cactus maturate well throughout Nevada , southern California , Arizona , and Texas . In gain , the decorative cactus is wide cultivated and used for living fences or specimen industrial plant .
Old Man Cactus (Pachycereus schottii)
The previous man cactus has a columnar growth habit and thrives in sunny waterless desert environment
The old man cactus is a large columnar cactus plant that form a large shrub . The upward - growing bluish - green cactus stems have prominently ribbed edges with short mordant or brown spines . Another characteristic of this attractive cactus is its large white-hot flowers that come along in summer , followed by bright red egg - mold fruits .
The quondam man cactus grows 10 ft . ( 3 m ) tall and wide . Because of its use of flowering on summer nights , it has the mutual name queen of the night .
Also called the senita cactus , this aboriginal cactus thrives in Southern Arizona , the Sonoran Desert , northerly Mexico , and Baja California . The best home ground for the plant is full sun , parched , well - drained ground , and plenty of sunlight .
Spinystar Cactus (Escobaria vivipara)
The modest rounded spinystar cactus has legion white spines and colorful heyday and can form clump of cacti in various size
The spinystar desert plant is a small , spiky cactus with a distinctive ball configuration . Identifying features of this rounded cactus are its straight livid spines measuring 1 ” ( 2.5 cm ) tenacious and cactus flowers in pink , reddish , purple , or yellow colors . The ball - like cactus grow , constitute big clustering of various - sized plants of up to 24 round stem turn .
Also called the beehive cactus , ball cactus , or pincushion cactus , this modest rotund succulent works grows up to 6 ” ( 15 cm ) tall and wide with a global shape .
The spinystar cactus aboriginal range is the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts . Despite its small size , the cluster of these nut - shaped cacti can be relatively great . This coarse native cactus thrives throughout North America in sandy or rocky grease .
Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii)
The teddy bear Opuntia cholla is a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - like cactus with acute back and yellowish flowers
The teddy bear cholla is a little , clumping , low - grow cactus plant life that thrive in coastal desert landscape . Despite the muzzy appearance of the cactus , it ’s covered in crisp , silvern - white dense sticker . Other identifying features of the cholla cactus are its yellow - green flowers , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - like show , and gray - green stem .
The teddy bear cholla grows 1 to 5 foot . ( 0.3 – 1.5 m ) tall . The minuscule cactus look like a small tree with distinct branching and new stem growing from stem tips . Due to its extremely sharp spines , the cactus is idealistic as a foundation planting or security plant life in desiccate landscapes .
The native range of the teddy bear cholla is Sonoran and Colorado Deserts and northwestern Mexico . However , it also grows in other regions of the southwestern US . It is also regain in the Joshua Tree National Park .
Cane Cholla (Cylindropuntia spinosior)
The cane cholla is a popular desert cactus with cylindrical stems , purple flowers and white-livered fruit when mature
The cane cholla is a aboriginal cactus flora in Arizona and New Mexico . The attractive desert cactus is identified by its tree - like branching with cylindrical spiky stems . The stem section can measure 2 ” to 20 ” ( 5 – 50 cm ) long . Ornamental features of the cactus are its shining purple bloom and yellowish - green fruit .
The cane Opuntia cholla is a low - growing branching cactus plant that produce 1.3 to 4 ft . ( 0.4 – 1.2 m ) tall . The belittled tree diagram - like cactus is a popular landscape painting plant in juiceless areas because of its drought tolerance and direct sunshine .
The cane cholla is aboriginal to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts and thrives throughout Arizona landscape . It thrive in habitats that let in desert valleys , grasslands , and high elevations .
Golden-Spined Cereus (Bergerocactus emoryi)
The golden - gyrate genus Cereus is a thicket - forming cactus with attractive yellow prime
The golden - spin cereus is a small cactus plant that grows as spiny thickets on the desert base . It ’s a shrub - like cactus with columnar or prostrate stems covered in gold yellow sharp spine . Additional identifying features are its heavy yellowed flowers and red globular fruit .
Also called the golden serpent cactus , golden cub cactus , and velvet cactus , the gnome cactus has mostly upward - growing boneheaded , thorn - brood stems . The upward - growing stems reach 3 foot . ( 1 m ) tall when growing as a thicket . However , when growing low to the ground , its spiky yellow stems can grow up to 6.6 . ft . ( 2 m ) long .
Golden - spined cereus is a cactusshrub native to California , Arizona , and New Mexico . The thicket - forming cactus thrives in sandy , coastal region , and grassy or part wooded slopes .
Bishop’s Hat Cactus (Astrophytum myriostigma)
The bishop ’s hat cactus can be easily discover by its unique ace pattern
The bishop ’s hat is an easy identifiable desert cactus plant due to its rounded shape with three to seven say vertical ribs . From above , the desert plant has a typical star form . The native low - growing blue - green cactus has a spectacular jaundiced flower when it bloom . This is followed by scarlet fruit , giving the cactus enormous decorative appeal .
Also called the bishop ’s miter cactus , this unusual succulent plant maturate 2.4 to 3.3 ft . ( 0.7 – 1 m ) tall . As the cactus grow , it becomes more cylindric rather than dome - form . A unique feature article of the cactus is that it lacks discernible spines and whitish tufts common to many cacti .
The native range of the bishop ’s chapeau cactus is key to northern Mexico and southern California . The cactus flora thrives in ironical climates , stony soil , and scrubby plains , where it gets stack of direct sun and no shade .
Mexican Fencepost Cactus (Lophocereus marginatus)
The magniloquent columniform Mexican fencepost cactus has ribbed cylindrical stems and is a focal dot in desert landscapes
The Mexican fencepost cactus is a tall , columnar desert cactus plant with deep green , erect fore covered in scant spine . The clustering - form cactus is comparatively easy to grow . It has blackguard stem up to 4 ” ( 10 curium ) in diameter , pink flowers , and setose yellow or red fruit .
This refined , upright cactus with its straight shank can develop up to 15 ft . ( 4.5 m ) tall and 4 ft . ( 1.2 m ) wide . Several stems can develop together , creating an attractive landscaping feature in arid conditions . you may establish the cactus as a windbreak , specimen plant , or evergreen hedgerow .
The Mexican fencepost cactus is native to Central Mexico . However , it thrive in the southwestern United States in residential landscapes . The desert cactus plant maturate easily in fertile , well - drain soils and direct sunlight .
Arizona Pencil Cholla (Cylindropuntia arbuscula)
The multi ramify Arizona pencil cholla is comparatively low growing desert cactus with yellow flowers and discriminating spines
The Arizona pencil Opuntia cholla is a multi - ramate desert flora with tenuous stems , long , sharp browned spikes , and shrub - like maturation . The identifiable feature film of the cactus are its yellowish - green prime with yellow center , needle - like spines , and relatively dispirited height . The easy - to - grow landscaping cactus plant life is pop for arid climates .
A airless up picture of Arizona pencil cholla thorns
The Arizona pencil cholla grows 3 to 4 ft . ( 1 – 1.2 m ) tall and blanket . Its growing consist of sparsely to densely growing lean stems no more than 0.5 ” ( 1.5 centimeter ) thick . Additionally , its shiny lily-livered blooms seem in late springiness and early summer and measure 1.2 ” ( 3 curium ) in diam .
This native Arizona desert plant thrives in the southern part of the Department of State in the Sonoran Desert and into northerly Mexico . This drought - tolerant works does n’t require any extra tending once established and will flourish in a parched desert landscape painting .
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