Cactus and succulents: beauty and harmony

Cacti and succulents are plants that have the characteristic of storing water in their tissues, water that can be made available in situations where it is scarce and thus be able to withstand and survive times of severe drought. These storage tissues can be found in the leaves, stems and roots. Currently, the family of Cacti and Succulents includes a total of 1816 species and subspecies.

After reading this blog you will know how to take care of the details to keep your cacti and succulents happy, as well as other general facts and information to get to know them better.

handy information: cacti and succulent plants

Cacti and succulents are endemic species native to the American continent and can be found in Canada, Argentina and other Latin American countries. These plants have adapted very well to our Mediterranean climate.

cacti

Cacti are part of the succulent plants and both are known as succulent plants. These plants are so diverse that they come in different sizes and colours, from very small to very large and can be planted in small pots for minimalist decoration in the home or office as well as in the garden. These plant species have a great power to store water in their tissues, in order to withstand extreme or inhospitable climates.

difference between cacti and succulents

The difference between the two species is that cacti have thorns that emerge from grains where their flowers grow. However, succulents are characterised by their fleshy leaves, and do not have thorns, or if they do, they come out of the haloes of these plants.

green beauty

They are plants that give a lot of beauty and harmony to the space where they are placed, whether in the office, bedroom, living room, kitchen, etc. They can be appreciated for their colour and size and can be adapted to any place.

do I grow my cactus or succelent indoors or outdoors?

It is generally known that cacti are outdoor plants but this only applies if the cactus is or will be large in size as they need a lot of space to grow well. Nowadays we can find small cacti that are also indoor plants and can be planted in small pots, in this case they should only be exposed to the sun for the required number of hours.

In the case of succulents, there is a greater variety and indoor and outdoor succulents are classified according to the type of colour they have, grey or orange succulents are considered outdoor succulents as they love the sun and can be placed on terraces or patios. On the other hand, green or yellow succulents are considered indoor succulents and are perfect for decorating houses or offices as these plants transmit a lot of harmony.

pot and location

The pot used should be according to the size of the plant chosen, but in general it is recommended that the pots are no deeper than 12 centimetres. It is important that the pots have a drainage hole of approximately 1 cm in diameter so that the water can drain and drain down when watering.

material of the pot

As for the material of the pot, earthenware or plastic pots are recommended. Clay pots allow greater water transpiration when watering, which prevents the plant from dying from excess water, which is why they are recommended for outdoor plants. Plastic pots are recommended for indoor plants as they retain more moisture in the soil of the plant.

placing the pot

Considering the number of hours of exposure to sunlight, it is important that they are placed where the sunlight is strong enough, e.g. next to windows.

(sun)light

Cacti and succulents need between 4 to 8 hours of sunlight daily so it is recommended that the plants of this species be placed in a place with enough light, not directly where the sun shines as they are used to being kept in greenhouses. To expose them directly to the sun they should be acclimatised little by little and then placed in a place where they can access more direct light. If you do not have a recommended site, they can be placed next to a wall where they receive bright sunlight, even if they are shaded in the afternoon, as they will receive plenty of light during the day.

in shade

It is important that these plants are not placed in the shade as it may alter their growth in the future, causing them to grow elongated and deformed with slants, as they seek the sun.

watering

When it comes to watering your succulents or cacti, there are a few things to know before doing so. It is very important that watering should not be done at times when there is a lot of sun or when it is very hot. On the other hand, watering should not be done to such an extent that the pot is overflowing with water, and care should be taken to provide only enough water to moisten all the soil in the pot.

Cacti are recommended to be watered once every two weeks, but succulents can be watered more frequently, for example once a week, in both cases it is important that the soil is dry before watering. A point to bear in mind is that the recommended frequencies may vary according to the type of climate in the country or region.

potting soil

The soil used in a pot containing a succulent or cactus should be sandy, light, porous material with a small portion of clayey material and black soil containing organic matter. To obtain a good soil, the universal substrate should be mixed with the sandy material in a 2:1 ratio (universal substrate-sandy material). In order to keep the soil in good condition, it should be turned at least once a month to prevent the soil from becoming compacted, so that air and water can circulate well in the pot.

shop your cactus and succulents

By reading the information in this blog you have everything you need to start acquiring cacti or succulents to care for them with lots of love and patience. You should watch them constantly as they always show up when something is not going right.