by Richard Pearman

Created on: January 23, 2012   Last Updated: May 24, 2012

You may be thinking of Agaves (century plants – look similar to Aloes) growing in patio tubs. Well forget that, Agaves aren't cacti! I'll just look at true cacti, the family Cactaceae, meaning prickly pears, barrel cacti, Christmas cacti etc. Most the considerations for cacti also apply to other succulents and you may want to have both near each other or even in the same containers.

By look and cultural requirements there are two main groups of cacti. The desert cacti (many of them grow in semi-deserts, mountains etc.), which usually have spiny, fleshy, leafless stems, probably what springs to mind when somebody says “cactus”. In addition to prickly pears, barrel cacti and tall cacti, there are many small species (globular cacti - http://www.helium.com/items/1092562-round-cacti-with -flowers) that can easily be persuaded to flower. They like dry conditions with bright light and have similar cultivation requirements to Aloes, succulent Euphorbias, Crassulas etc. Then there's the epiphytic cacti. These grow on trees in rain forests with thin, often leaf-like, stems and weak or no spines. They tend to sprawl or hang so they make good hanging basket plants. The best known is Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus) but there many others, often with beautiful flowers. These like shadier, wetter conditions than most cacti and mix well with epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, Hoyas etc..

Aesthetically, the stark appearance of desert cacti, and their love of bright light, means that they work well for open, modernist designs. Cacti are also good if you're going for a “wild west” or Latin American look (what adobe isn't complete without some cacti in terracotta pots?). For a shady garden with trees, or more of an English cottage look, epiphytic cacti may work better for you. Then Echinopsis oxygona, E. multiplex and similar species or hybrids can also work here.

There are four reasons for having cacti in containers in your garden: it makes the garden look more interesting, it makes the cacti grow better, it allows you to accommodate more cacti on your property, to provide spiny barriers to keep people and animals out of certain areas, cacti may be protected from herbivores by their spines. You could use your greenhouse for tomatoes in the summer and cacti in the winter.

There are reasons for growing the cacti in pots rather than planting them in the ground. You can move them around, which is helpful if the cacti aren't hardy in your climate or you havebarbeques

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