10 Best Cactus You Can Grow Indoors Or At Your Home

Members of the Cactaceae family are much adored by gardeners and collectors because of their sizes and types. When these diminutive beings flower, they look even more attractive. To top it off, these living organisms are drought-tolerant, can happily handle low maintenance, and live through poor soil conditions.  There are multiple cactus varieties indoors.

The best part is that cacti look good outdoors and indoors. They blend with interior décor of all types. But you need to take care to place them in a spot where they receive a lot of sunlight because that is their inherent nature and requirement.  

In this blog, we will talk about the ten best indoor cactus types that are wonderful options to grow indoors.

Different Types of Cacti For Indoor

1. Rickrack Cactus

This tiny ornamental cactus species is an epiphytic variety that grows in the rainforests of Chiapas in Mexico. One unique thing about the cactus Selenicereus anthonyanus is that it blooms at night, and the flower survives just for a day. The stems are leaf-like. You can grow them outdoors as climbers to cover walls or over other plants and trees. Indoors, these look good in hanging pots on the terrace garden, patio, etc. You can buy rick rack cactus for sale at Planet Desert.

Botanical Name	Selenicereus anthonyanus
Native	Chiapas, Mexico
Growth Rate	Fast
Common names	Fishbone cactus, rickrack cactus, zig-zag cactus, and St. Anthony's rickrack
Rick rack cactus flower	Dark violet-rose color on the outside and white color inside. Fragrant flowers that bloom late afternoon and close by morning.
Blooming season	Late spring to early summer
Hardiness	10a – 11b. Slightly frost-hardy
Propagation	Stem cuttings

 Rickrack cactus care:  

Spring to summer, water the Selenicereus anthonyanus regularly but allow the soil to dry out first. During winters, watering should be minimal. Selenicereus anthonyanus fishbone cactus should be planted in a well-draining potting mix. The light requirement of the cactus is indirect or filtered sunlight. When exposed to direct sun, the plant can be easily damaged. 

2. Fairy Castle Cactus 

Interestingly, the Acanthocereus tetragonus fairy castle is characterized by vertically-growing stems of different heights resembling turrets and spires of a castle. It is also an easy-to-grow plant, especially indoors. Fairy castle cactus for sale is now available at Planet Desert.

Botanical Name	Acanthocereus tetragonus
Native	Mexico
Common names	Fairy Castle cactus, Fairytale castle cactus, and Green Finger cactus
Fairy castle cactus flower	Hardly ever flowers but when it does, the flowers are white colored.
Blooming season	NA
Hardiness	10a to 11b. Slightly frost-hardy.
Propagating Fairy Castle cactus	Offsets

 Fairy castle cactus care:

Fairy castle cactus watering should be optimal during the summer season and watering should be minimal. The soil should be dry when watering. The other aspect of Acanthocereus tetragonus care is to bring the plant indoors if the night-time temperatures go below 10°C. Fairy castle cactus light requirement is bright direct sun but ensures shade during the afternoon. For this indoor cactus, it is important to place it near a window receiving warm and bright sunlight.

3. Golden Barrel Cactus

This cactus grows between a height of 24 – 36 inches and is winter-dormant. Buy golden barrel cactus for sale from Planet Desert. 

Botanical Name	Echinocactus grusonii
Native	East-Central Mexico
Golden barrel cactus growth rate	Slow
Common names	Barrel Cactus
Golden barrel cactus flower	Yellow-colored
Blooming season	Spring to summer
Hardiness	9a – 11. Slightly frost-hardy.
Propagating golden barrel cactus	Golden barrel cactus seeds or stem cuttings

 Echinocactus grusonii golden barrel cactus care:

The cactus needs regular watering – once a fortnight – during the summer season. When the season changes and the weather get cold, reduce watering. Echinocactus grusonii habitat involves a well-draining, sandy and gritty soil. Echinocactus grusonii temperature on average during winter should be about 12°C. The cactus needs full sun for the best growth.

4. Saguaro Cactus

The Saguaro Carnegiea gigantea grows about 2 to 4 cm annually in its native region. Consequently, the plant reaches a height of 4 meters in almost a hundred years. These Saguaro cactus flowers bloom at night and close in the morning. When cultivated, the Saguaro cactus has a faster growth rate. Get carnegiea gigantea for sale from Planet Desert!

Botanical Name	Carnegiea gigantea
Native	Mexico, Arizona & California
Growth Rate	Slow
Common names	Saguaro Cactus
Saguaro Flower	White flowers with yellow centers
Blooming season	Spring
Hardiness	Not frost-hardy.
Propagation	Stem cuttings

 Care for Carnegiea gigantea saguaro cactus:

The Saguaro cactus should be watered routinely during the hot season. The soil should be dry before being watered. The soil should drain off well. The cactus requires full sun when fully-grown but filtered light when young. 

An interesting fact about the Saguaro cactus blossom is that it blooms for less than 24 hours.

5. Christmas Cactus

It is an unusual cactus with flattened stems without any leaves. The dark-green stems split up into various leaf-like structures and grow in a cascading manner. It is an epiphytic cactus clinging onto rocks and trees in the jungle. There are three Christmas cactus varieties- Schlumbergera truncata, Schumbelgera bridgesii, and Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerii.

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Botanical Name	Schlumbergera bridgesii
Native	Coastal mountains of southeast Brazil
Common names	Christmas Cactus
Flower	Perfect Symmetrical. Purple-red petals with a pinkish-purple center.
Blooming season	Winter
Hardiness	9 a – 11b. Slightly frost-hardy.
Propagation	Stem cuttings

 Caring for Schlumbergera bridgesii christmas cactus:

The soil for this cactus should be coarse and sandy. Interestingly, propagating Christmas cactus in water is a possibility. Ensure that soil is never water-logged to get large Christmas cactus. Sometimes, be prepared for Christmas cactus white flowers in December.

6. Star Cactus

All Astrophytum types have a solitary non-branched flat-barrel stem without any spines.  In their native habitat, the stems are flat while when cultivated the stems grow as columnar or spherical. The asterias flower survives only for one or two days.

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Botanical Name	Astrophytum asterias
Native	Texas & Mexico
Growth Rate	Slow
Common names	Sand Dollar Cactus, Star Cactus, Sea Urchin Cactus, Star Peyote
Astrophytum asterias Flower	Yellow-colored star cactus flower with orange or red inside.
Blooming season	Spring
Hardiness	9a - 11
Propagation	Astrophytum asterias seeds

 Astrophytum asterias care:

The star-shaped cactus requires direct sunlight for at least six hours a day, if outside, and four hours daily if the cactus is inside the house. The soil should be porous and sandy. For indoor cactus plants, ensure that the potting mix contains gravel, pebbles, and perlite. Use the ‘soak and dry’ method to help the cactus grow at its best.

7. Feather Cactus

Cactus Mammillaria plumosa is globose-shaped and serves as an ornamental plant, especially indoors. The dense growth of white spines on the plumosa cactus gives it an enhanced look. It is also quite soft to the touch and therefore, kid-safe.

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Botanical Name	Mammillaria plumosa
Native	Mexico
Growth Rate	Slow
Common names	Feather Cactus
Mammillaria plumosa Flower	Whitish-yellow-colored flowers
Blooming season	Mid-spring
Hardiness	9a - 11
Propagation	Seeds

 Caring for Mammillaria plumosa feather cactus:

Water the plant once a week. It can be fertilized during the hot season. The soil should be typical of a cactus plant’s requirement. The feather cactus should be placed near a window where it receives full sun for at least four hours a day.

8. Old Lady Cactus

Cactus Mammillaria hahniana has characteristic white hairs, typical of an old lady. The circle-like crown makes the Mammillaria hahniana one of the best indoor cactus choices.

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Botanical Name	Mammillaria hahniana
Native	Mexico
Growth Rate	Mammillaria hahniana old lady cactus has a slow growth rate
Common names	Old Lady cactus
Old Lady Cactus Flower	Vivid magenta flower
Blooming season	Old Lady cactus bloom appears late winter to early spring
Hardiness	9 b – 11. Slightly frost-hardy
Propagation	Seeds

 Old lady cactus care:

Mammillaria old lady cactus needs light shade for optimal growth. Mammillaria hahniana cactus should be watered sparingly. The soil should drain off well.

9. Bunny Ears Cactus

The bunny ears succulent comes with flattened pads, smaller in size varying between oval to round shape. Get the bunny ear cactus for sale from Planet Desert.

Botanical Name	Opuntia microdasys
Native	Mexico
Bunny ear cactus growth rate	Slow
Common names	Bunny Ears and Angel's Wings
Opuntia microdasys Flower	Wide-creamy yellow bunny ear cactus flower
Blooming season	Summer
Hardiness	9a – 11b. It is slightly-frost hardy
Propagating bunny ear cactus	Bunny cactus cuttings

 Bunny ear cactus care:

Bunny ear cactus watering schedule should be once in two weeks when the soil is completely dry. Bunny ear cactus sunlight requirement is direct sunlight. All opuntia microdasys varieties need at least six to eight hours of daily direct sunlight. Opuntia bunny ears should be planted in a potting mix that drains off well. Mix sand, perlite, or pumice to standard potting mix for its indoor care.

10. Blue Columnar Cactus

The Pilosocereus pachycladus appears as a mini-Saguaro cactus. The Cactaceae pilosocereus pachycladus exhibits columnar growth. The trunk of the cactus is crowded with innumerable bluish-silver branches. 

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Botanical Name	Pilosocereus pachycladus
Native	Brazil
Pilosocereus pachycladus Growth Rate	fast
Common names	Blue Columnar Cactus
Blue Columnar Cactus Flower	Funnel-shaped whitish to greenish
Blooming season	Summer
Hardiness	9 - 11
Propagation	Cuttings

 Pilosocereus pachycladus care:

Weekly watering is good for Pilosocereus pachycladus. 10-12 hours of sunlight is required by the cactus for growth. Blue columnar cactus indoor care involves placing it near the window with direct sunlight. Use a potting mix containing sand, perlite, and limestone for the best growth of the blue columnar cactus indoors.