CACTI AND SIMILAR SUCCULENTS
Generally, I prefer to grow a spicy variety of plants. But I am certainly in sympathy with the hobbyists who find enough stimulation in this one group to keep them collecting for a lifetime. Such a weird assortment of shapes, from barrels to humping inchworms. Such unusual patterns and colors of either leaves or stems that have taken on the shapes and functions of leaves. And such flowers! Some like daisies or water lilies, in incredible neon-bright colors, sometimes three times the size of the plant.
Among cacti and similar succulents are some of our smallest plants, plus plenty more that grow so slowly they’re miniature for many years. Here are selected samples, only a small portion of the number available from specialist-growers and other sources.
CARE. Most succulents need full sun, moderate warmth, a sandy soil mixture (not pure sand) kept on the dry side. They need more water and warmth in summer, less in winter when they are resting. If soil is very acid, neutralize with lime.
PROPAGATION. Stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, division of root or crown, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Dish gardens, model landscapes (with other dry-growing plants), a few for indoor bonsai.
Aeonium caespitosum spathulatum Crassulaceae
Clump-forming succulent with rosettes of leaves like the hen-and-chicks, silvery green sparsely spotted with darker green.
Agave victoriae-reginae Amaryllidaceae
Miniature “century plant” with a stiff rosette of thick, sharp-pointed dull-green leaves with white piping along the edge and streaked with white between. Mature size, six inches.
Aichryson (Aeonium) domesticum variegatum Crassulaceae
I’m not quite sure how high and wide this pretty succulent will grow if left to its own devices. Mine has stayed in a two-inch pot for more than a year, and filled itself out with thin, round green leaves edged with creamy white, blushing faint pink in warm sun. The leaves huddle in tight, overlapping rosettes all around the branching stems.
Aloe Liliaceae
Symmetrical clusters of thick, heavy, sharp-spiny leaves; fall and winter flowers held aloft like a torch. One of the smaller species is A. brevifolia, with leaf rosettes about three inches across. A. variegata can eventually reach a foot high, but very slowly; and its white-marbled leaves are striking in the meantime.
Aptenia cordifolia (Mesembryanthemum cordifolium) Aizoaceae
Creeping, clustering succulent with thinnish, round-pointed, gray-green leaves in pairs along the stems; brilliant fuchsia-purple daisy-shaped flowers. The variety variegata is embellished with creamy-white leaf edgings.
Astrophytum Cactaceae Star Cactus
Thick stem-bodies divided neatly into five sections but still attached together, growing very slowly to four inches across. Outlandishly large, flat, daisy flowers in summer. Try A. myriostigma, bishop’s cap, or A. asterias, sand dollar, both spineless; or silver-dotted A. ornatum, with swirling lines and tufts of curved spines.
Cephalocereus senilis Cactaceae Old Man Cactus
A good bet for beginning collectors. This is a columnar cactus covered with a shaggy coat of snow-white hairs, growing up to forty feet high in the desert, but approaching that height at a snail’s pace indoors. Flowers are rosy-pink, about two inches across.
Chamaecereus silvestri Cactaceae Peanut Cactus
Gay ground-hugger, sending out in all directions thick green two-inch joints with soft white spines, and keeping its miniature proportions except when it’s top-heavy with long-tubed orange-scarlet flowers.
Conophytum Aizoaceae
Very tiny succulents with clusters of plump bodies that are, actually, two leaves joined completely except at the tip. The plant barely reaches one inch high and is content in a three-inch pot for years. Ridiculously large and brilliant flowers pop out through small slits in early fall. Then the leaves look like little dumplings sitting under a daisy. Of the several species available from specialists, C. ornianum is light green with darker freckles, lavender-rose flowers; C. aureum has gold flowers.
Coryphantha vivipara Cactaceae
Symmetrical two-inch sphere covered with evenly spaced bumps, each like a miniature sun with white rays and a spine sticking up from the center. The fringed rosy or carmine flowers pop out on top, in June; bright-red berries appear in fall. Native to, and hardy in, Manitoba, down to Texas. In time it will form clustered mounds.
Crassula Crassulaceae
An oddly assorted group of succulents including many roguish miniatures of fascinating form. C. cooperi has tufts of small, pointed leaves with black blotches, little clusters of pale-pink flowers. C. lycopodioides mimics the club moss of the woodlands, with slim stems encircled with little needle-like leaves. ‘Morgan’s Pink’ is a variety of dense clusters of spear-shaped leaves, crinkled like gray seersucker, coral flowers. C. schmidti makes a three-inch mat of pointed, pinkish leaves, with generous glowing pink flowers.
Echeveria Crassulaceae
Perfect rosettes of succulent leaves in many lustrous colors, some silk-velvety or contrastingly trimmed on the edge. Clusters of brilliant tubular flowers top short stems. The following grow low, with four-inch rosettes.
derenbergi—painted lady—Translucent green leaves with silvery sheen, touched with red at the tip, yellow-orange flowers.
elegans—Mexican snowball—Light blue-green leaves frosted with white, pure white on the edge, coral-pink flowers.
pulvinata—chenille plant—Dusty-green leaves of sheer velvet, trimmed with brick red on the edge, scarlet flowers.
Echinocereus melanocentrus Cactaceae Hedgehog Cactus
Small, spiny globes with brilliant carmine flowers from the side of the ball. At its three-inch maturity, the flowers are still larger than the plant.
Echinopsis Cactaceae Easter Lily Cactus
Small, round plants with thick ribs and formidable spines, the lily-like flowers usually opening in the evening. A popular species is E. kermesiana, with glowing red flowers. E. grandiflora is described as only two or three inches across, with five-inch rose-pink flowers.
Euphorbia Euphorbiaceae
Two small relatives of the poinsettia that show little family resemblance.
caput-medusae—Medusa’s head—Sneaky, snaky-looking plant with tangles of twisted, gray-green branches, occasionally tipped with small leaves.
splendens bojeri—dwarf crown of thorns—Compared to the sprawly species that grows four feet tall or more, this is really a midget. Mine has kept its six-inch bushy contours for nearly two years. The upright grayish branches are fairly well supplied with roundish, dark-green leaves; the scarlet flower-like bracts are plentiful at intervals all summer and fall.
Faucaria Aizoaceae Tiger Jaws
Low, crowded succulents with thick, triangular leaves toothed with spiny hairs, unmistakably resembling an animal’s mouth. In late summer or early fall, golden daisy-like flowers pop up and make fun of the plant’s ferocious appearance.
tigrina—Silvery green leaves flecked with white, two-inch yellow flowers.
tuberculosa—Darker green leaves with little white knobs.
Fenestraria Aizoaceae Baby Toes
Clusters of cylindrical leaves, larger at the top, like little flat-tipped baseball bats. The nearly colorless tops feature tiny transparent “windows.”
aurantiaca—Three-inch orange daisy flowers more than twice as wide as the clustered leaf-colony.
rhopalophylla—Leaves more blunt, smaller white flowers.
Gymnocalycium mihanovichi Cactaceae Chin Cactus
Just one of many available miniature, globe-shaped cacti with spines on regular shelves, or “chins.” This one produces chartreuse flowers bigger than its body, starts to bloom while quite young.
Haworthia Liliaceae
Tight pinwheels of thick, pointed leaves intricately studded with varied patterns of pearly pinheads. The whitish flowers are not a main feature.
fasciata—Zebra-striped succulent often seen in dish gardens.
margaritifera—Slightly larger, dark green with a more scattered pattern of white dots.
Kalanchoe Crassulaceae
Among these congenial succulents are several that grow to considerable size in their native homes, but keep pleasantly small in pots or dish gardens. The leaves are fleshy, with indentations along the edge. Lantern-shaped flowers appear in winter.
blossfeldiana—Well-branched bush with overlapping, fresh green leaves, flowering in winter when days are short and nights are long. ‘Tom Thumb’ is a dwarf variety that smothers itself with scarlet blooms for Christmas. Greenhouses grow it from seeds sown in spring, and so can you.
marmorata—penwiper plant—Leaves fold in around the stem and are spattered on both sides with purple blotches.
pumila—Leaves like a doll’s spoon, notched on the edge and sugar-frosted; plum-colored pitcher flowers.
tomentosa—panda plant—Fat leaves covered with white felt, distinctly marked with chocolate at the teeth on the edge.
(Kitchingia) uniflora—Miniature creeper or dangler for small hanging baskets, with round green leaves marching up and down the stem and rosy or red urn-flowers hanging from thin, short threads.
Kleinia Compositae
Curious even among succulents, each of these oddly shaped or strangely decorated plants has a personality of its own and no need for daisy-like flower heads to make it interesting.
pendula—inchworm plant—Weird, round, leafless stems snake up and down over the soil; flowers brilliant red.
repens—Low and somewhat trailing, with thick leaves like long canoes, unbelievable blue.
tomentosa—Cylindrical cocoon-like leaves tapered to sharp points and covered with pure-white down; gold or orange flowers.
Lobivia aurea Cactaceae Golden Easter Lily
Squat, round, prickly cactus like a small echinopsis, except that this one opens its friendly water-lily flowers in the daytime. Dozens of different species and varieties are available.
Mammillaria Cactaceae Pincushion Cactus
There are many mighty midgets in this group, and in fascinating variety. They’re mostly round, from squat to columnar, but all are primly neat. The spines may be soft or not, but are always arranged in a perfect pattern. The flowers are not overlarge, but are arranged in a crown and ripen into attractive, berry-like fruit.
bocasana—powder puff—Soft, white-woolly globes, only one and a half inches across when mature; beige flowers.
elongata—golden lace—Small branching pillar, nicknamed for its tatted pattern of bright-yellow spines.
hahniana—old lady—Fond name for a small, white-haired cushion.
Notocactus Cactaceae Ball Cactus
Plump balls with prettily colored spines and large, showy flowers in late spring.
apricus—sun cup—Golden-yellow flowers, Oxford-gray spines.
graessneri—Butter-yellow spines and flowers.
ottonis—Indian head—Reddish spines.
rutilans—Rosy flowers.
Opuntia Cactaceae
This is a “crazy, mixed-up” group of cacti. They come in so many sizes, shapes, and forms that any generalized description is impossible. Many optunias are hardy even in Northern gardens.
mamillata—boxing gloves—Resembles a little tree whose branches turn into cockscombs at the tip.
microdasys—bunny ears—Flat, long-oval pads with tiny tufts of soft yellow hairs.
Parodia Cactaceae
Fat little balls covered with glistening spines and sending out unbelievably large flowers although the plant measures only an inch across the middle. Even in old age, they’re never larger than three inches.
aureispina—Tom Thumb cactus—Gold spines, orange flowers.
mutabilis—Shining yellow flowers.
Portulacaria afra variegata Portulacaceae Rainbow Bush
After planting this little tree-like succulent in a dish garden when it was only three inches tall, and finding it less than half an inch taller nearly a year later, I was mildly amazed to learn that it is a version of the twelve-foot elephant bush, or purslane tree, of desert gardens. It’s difficult to imagine the fat red stems and fleshy, cream-splashed, red-rimmed leaves ever adorning a plant of such monstrous proportions.
Rebutia Cactaceae Crown Cactus
Flat, fat balls with whiskery spines, spreading out into clusters. Each ball, when mature, is circled by large, wide-eyed flowers coming up from the base, often as large as the four-inch plant.
minuscula—Best-known species, with fiery red flowers.
senilis—Orange flowers with turned-back petals.
violaciflora—Rose-pink flowers.
Sedum Crassulaceae
Tender relations of the hardy garden sedums, not so numerous but equally varied.
adolphi—Rosettes of fat, yellow-green leaves, white flowers.
hintoni—Oval, grassy-green leaves covered with prickly white hairs, like clumps of tiny porcupine tails; white flowers.
lineare—Many branching, trailing stems covered thickly with needle-shaped leaves. The variety variegatum is a gem, each leaf more creamy-white than green.
multiceps—little Joshua tree—Unbelievable bonsai-like plant with trunk, branches, and tufts of needly dark-green leaves like the smallest conifer imaginable.
pachyphyllum—jelly beans—Fat, juicy, berry-like leaves clustering close to the branching stems; yellow flowers in spring.
rubrotinctum (guatemalense)—Christmas cheer—Thick layers of small, green, drumstick-shaped leaves turning holiday red in full sun; yellow flowers.
stahli—coral beads, Boston beans—Faintly hairy, beady, reddish leaves strung closely together on branching stems; yellow flowers in summer and fall.
Titanopsis Aizoaceae
Stone-mimicking succulents with thickly clustered leaves lavishly spotted with white, wart-like tubercles, and short-lived daisy flowers in fall or winter.
calcarea—jewel plant—Lustrous gray-green leaves sparkling with white spots, gleaming gold flowers. Leaf rosette only two inches in any direction.
schwantesi—Even smaller cluster of blue-gray, liver-spotted leaves, lemon-yellow flowers.
Trichodiadema densum Aizoaceae Desert Rose
Picture a bunch of tiny, smooth green pickles, each tipped with a triple crown of ridiculously long, bristly, white hairs. Now, smother this leaf colony under two-inch red daisy flowers. A really outlandish plant!