Best Indoor Cactus Ideas for Your Home

Great you heard that cactus plants make for exceptional indoor growing and the brightly colored flowers liven up the place. But how do you choose the best cactus for your home?

Well, it all depends on what you look for. Some indoor plants can have ridges, while others have spines or unique areoles. One thing is for sure, no matter what indoor cacti you choose. It will create an intriguing atmosphere.

Cacti are not like most other fussy plants as they have thick stems with fleshy succulent leaves, and WOW, they are drought tolerant.

indoor cactus

So, you can forget to water them once in a while. These plump fleshed plants can create an exotic desert feeling. Stay tuned, as Plantly will tell you more about them.

Journey With Us to The Desert

Are you ready to get your hands on some most unique cactus plants? Then brace yourself for a beautiful journey through the desert with these fantastic succulent plants. Go ahead and choose one for your indoor garden.

Bunny Ears Cactus

Bunny Ears Cactus

Okay, we must agree while this cactus has leaves resembling bunny ears, it also looks like a mouse’s face. So yes, it does depend on how it grows, but that is only me seeing more into the plant than usual.

The botanical name for the small clusters plant is Opuntia microdasys. Wow, that is a mouthful, right? The plant is Mexican native and closely related to the Angel Wing Cactus, as seen in the image below.

The entire Bunny Ears Cactus is covered with whitish brown fine hairs that are prickly, so be careful. It also grows two pads looking like a rabbit’s ears. When summer arrives, you will see yellow flowers with purple fruit. So, make sure to grow them in full sun.

This plant is cute and relates to the prickly pear cactus, and outside it can grow six feet wide and a few feet tall. Grow it in a small or medium pot with full sun in summer and reduced in winter.

Another great thing is this plant is non-toxic to pets, but if I was an animal, I am sure I would not even try giving this plant a bite.

Golden Barrel Cactus

Golden Barrel Cactus

The Echinocactus grusonii, the Golden Barrel cactus botanical name, is also known as the golden ball. In contrast, some stepsons refer to it as the mother-in-law’s cushion. It is also native to the Mexican region.

The succulent grows huge as an outdoor plant just like in its natural habitat. The Golden barrel has a spherical globe shape and can reach five feet tall. It produces long yellow sharp spines to give it that golden glow. It thrives in direct sunlight and grows indoors well.

Provide this beauty with a succulent mix and water sparingly, as it might just surprise you with some colorful flowers.

Barbary Fig

barbara fig cactus

The Opuntia ficus-indica is one spectacular cactus to grow outside. You find them in a variety of prickly pear cactus forms. It is also native, you guessed right, to Mexico. Yet, it is also grown outdoors for commercial use.

The succulent grows green pads covered with thorny spines growing up to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide. On the tips of the pads grows orange to yellow blooms, and it produces some edible fruits that are divine.

Moon Cactus

Moon Cactus

It does not come from the moon, but it has the most unique and exciting colors. The Gymnocalycium mihanovichii develops as mutants producing no chlorophyll resulting in the stems showing shades of different pigmentations like yellow, orange, pink, or red.

As the cactus produces no chlorophyll, you need to graft them onto other cacti to help them survive. From late spring to early summer, they produce pink flowers, and it is one of the best indoor cactus plants to have.

Compared to most other cacti, it does not need as much sun and does well in part shade with light water. So if you cannot get your hands on a moon cactus.

The Sea Urchin Cactus

sea urchin cactus

The botanical name is Astrophytum asteria, and the Sea Urchin Cactus also has another common name, the Star Cactus. Some gardeners also refer to it as the Sand Dollar Cactus, native to Mexico.

You also find them a popular succulent plant grown in other parts of South America. The plant grows up to two inches high and six inches wide. Hence, they are suitable to grow as houseplants.

You must agree that a small rounded body looks great, and it has up to ten ribs with furry areoles. When they start to bloom, grow yellow or red flowers in spring and produce green or pink fruit.

The cactus thrives in light shade to ten hours of full sun. The cacti prefer moderate watering and need well-drained soil to prevent root rot.

Easter Cactus Plants

easter cactus

The Easter Cactus is a less intimidating plant with prickly spines. The Hatiora gaertneri looks fabulous in hanging baskets and is native to Brazil. It has a flattened, segmented stem that droops and trails when it grows longer.

The flowers are a deep red and open with a funnel shape in late winter to early spring. Another exciting thing is that getting it to flower again is not easy once it blooms. But if you want a fun challenge, it is rewarding.

The Easter Cactus grows in bright partial light with medium watering, and a soil mixture with perlite is the best for this plant.

Christmas Cactus

christmas cactus

The Christmas Cactus is another great cacti without those thorny spines. The Schlumbergera x buckleyi blooms around the festive time of Christmas. For the holiday season, this is the best cactus to grow indoors.

Like the Easter Cactus, this one grows with stems upwards when it starts but droops making it great to plant in a hanging basket. It opens up with a trumpet flower in red or pink and other colors when it blooms.

The cactus flourishes in bright indirect light with dry soil between watering. As with most succulents, it prefers a well-draining cacti mix. So, if you want to ensure a festive color creation at the end of the year, invest in the Christmas cactus today.

Rat Tail Cactus

rat tail cactus

As you can see, the Rat Tail Cactus displays long viscous stems that grow up to four feet in length like the tails of a rat. But do not go touching them, ouch! The cacti produce gorgeous magenta flowers.

Another fascinating thing is that flowers are used in medicine for heart problems. It is not a slow-growing cactus and is also an outstanding choice to grow in a basket hanging from the roof.

Fairy Castle Cactus

fairy castle cactus

Yes, who thought a cactus could create a whimsical castle? The varied stems of this Fairy Castle Cactus make a perfect addition to any magical indoor garden. It has a slow growth rate and can reach six feet tall.

But grown indoors, it rarely produces flowers. We would not recommend this as a children’s bedroom plant, but it will look fabulous displayed on a centerpiece table.

Blue Myrtle Cactus

Blue Myrtle Cactus

Yes, this is another cactus native to Mexico and goes by Myrtillocactus geometrizans. It looks like a candelabra with bluish-grey stems that grow tight together. When mature, it produces white flowers, with the color changing to dark purple in spring.

It can grow up to 15 feet tall, but you can control the growth indoors. Think of it as a bonsai tree, only it is a cactus.

Wrapping It Up

When you choose cacti, you can find diverse selections from elusive white flowers to purple ones. While they can look intimidating with the sharp thorns they can look delicate when they bloom.

The desert flowers make for a statement piece in any home as some fit on the windowsill enjoying the full sun. While others prefer indirect light and grow well as small plants.

Still, with multiple cacti species that vary in size and height, you can create the Sonoran Desert inside your home.

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

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