Succulents and Cacti: Garden Tough Guys

If you are a person who could send any houseplant to an early grave, I wouldn’t throw in the towel just yet. You need to turn to a plant that can survive in temperatures that soar over one hundred degrees, can thrive on very little moisture and one that is tough and almost aggressive, as far as plants go.

One time I grew a Cholla cactus in the corner of my yard and had to get rid of it because my kid ran into it – twice. The removal of the barbed spines is by far worse than getting stuck in the first place!

That’s not the first time a cactus has nabbed a Sherinski. When I was in the Army, I ran over a piece of Cholla on my 2-ton truck. That plant cost Uncle Sam two new tires and was one of the few casualties ever caused by a plant.

But despite the hazards that come with the cacti territory, they are unusual plants with major benefits:

What makes cacti so great?

• They require little attention
• They are simple to root
• They need only light watering
• Some require little light
• They are highly varied with many colors and shapes
• Many, such as Cholla, have brilliant blossoms

Water Storage or Drought Resistant?

It’s worth noting that cacti are succulents, but they are often classified differently because of their distinct growth habits. Basically, there are two types of succulents: water storing and drought resistant.

The word “succulent” comes from the Latin word succus, meaning ‘juice.’ Succulent plants either store their ‘juice’ or adopt methods to preserve it. Such water-storing succulents are cacti like Aloe, Sedum, Rochea, Echeveria, Huernia and Gasteria. Some cacti with showy blooms are Stapelia, Huernia and Huernipsis.

Other succulents make it through the dry season by waiting it out with no water storage ‘units’. It has been recorded that these plants will grow without a drop of rainfall for several years. They do grow, just very, very slowly. What does this mean for you? You can be criminally negligent in watering this plant and it will still thrive. Common drought-resistant succulents are Agave, Samuela, Dasylirion and Fouquiera.

Cut It and Leave It Alone

Succulents propagate through stem cuttings—a piece falls off, it blows around in the desert and eventually it takes root. When you live in the desert, you have to be a survivor. Many people cut off a piece of a succulent, place it in a pot of sand and soil, pour water all over it, only to have the thing rot where it lay. I’ll let you in on a secret to propagating a stem cutting: Be harsh, like the desert. Cut the stem. Store the cutting in a cool, dry place. Simply walk away – and come back in a month.

Over that period, the cutting will probably form a callus. In human terms, it would be akin to a scar. Lay the piece in a mixture of sand and potting soil and water it lightly. It will slowly take root despite it’s shriveled appearance and begin growing so slowly, it will be imperceptible.

That piece of Cholla cactus I ran over that cool night might have grown up to be a full-grown cactus had it not graced the tread of my tires. But they are very tough, odd and quirky houseplants that can be moved outdoors in the summer to add a bold eye-catcher to the patio or deck.

See you soon with more helpful tips from GardenPower, CDC-BME and Your Local STIHL Dealer!

Cactus Tough Guys

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