You are looking at the plump, ribbed cactus on your windowsill and wondering whether all that stored moisture is actually drinkable. It looks like a living canteen, and movies have told you it is. The short version: No, you generally cannot drink water straight from a cactus. Most cacti hold a thick, bitter, acidic sap … Read more >>
You are looking at a cactus on your windowsill that has gone weeks without a drink, yet it still looks plump, green, and completely unbothered. If you have wondered how do cactus store water so well, the answer is a set of adaptations that work together from root tip to spine. The short version: Cacti … Read more >>
You glance at the cactus on your windowsill and notice it is no longer standing straight. The stem tilts toward the glass, bends near the soil, or flops over the edge of the pot. If you are asking why is my cactus growing sideways, the answer is usually simple once you know where to look. … Read more >>
You are looking at a windowsill of cacti and noticing the colors don’t match: one is deep green, one is dusty blue, and one is blushing purple at the edges. The short version: Most cacti are green because their stems hold chlorophyll, but natural cactus colors also include blue-gray, silver, purple, red, and white, depending … Read more >>
You turn your cactus toward the window and notice brown patches on its skin that were not there a few weeks ago. The short version: Brown spots on a cactus usually come from one of four things: natural corking at the base, sunburn after a light change, too much water, or a fungal or pest … Read more >>
Your cactus has outgrown its spot on the windowsill, leaning toward the glass, a soft brown patch near the base, or an arm that keeps snagging your sleeve. Knowing how to trim a cactus without killing it comes down to timing, a clean blade, and patience while the wound heals. The short version: Trim in … Read more >>
A tall Peruvian apple cactus by your window has finally pushed out a fat, pale bud, and you are wondering whether that bloom will turn into fruit on its own. The short version: In most cases, no. The Peruvian apple cactus is largely self-incompatible, so a flower usually needs pollen from a genetically different plant … Read more >>
Your Christmas cactus sits on the windowsill with its flat, segmented stems spilling over the pot, and the soil looks dense, dark, and slow to dry. If you’re wondering what soil does a christmas cactus need, the answer is different from what most people expect for a “cactus.” The short version: A Christmas cactus needs … Read more >>
A tall Eve’s needle cactus has started leaning away from your window, its green cylinders branching in every direction and poking anyone who walks past. The short version: The easiest way to propagate Eve’s needle cactus is to cut a healthy stem segment, let the cut end dry and callus for one to two weeks, … Read more >>
You are looking at a shelf of plants that keep fading after a year or two, and you want something that will still be growing by that window ten or twenty years from now. Choosing the longest living houseplants to get for your houseplant collection is mostly about picking species that grow slowly, store water … Read more >>