How many cacti live: how long can they grow at home and in nature, how to care?

Cactus is one of the most unpretentious house plants. It will survive if you water it at least occasionally and not put it on the balcony in winter. How long can a cactus live, and what needs to be done to pass on a favorite cactus to offspring?

This article describes in detail how many cacti live at home and in nature. As well as how to care for this plant in order to extend its longevity.

10 species that can last the longest at home

How long can a cactus grow at home?

In the wild, some cacti can live several centuries.

At home, such a life expectancy is unlikely, but you can count on several decades.

Echinocactus

At a young age, it resembles a hedgehog, then acquires a cylindrical shape. It is found in the south of the USA and in Mexico. Species Echinocactus gruzoni in nature survives up to 500 years.

Cereus

Cereus is a candle-shaped cactus. In nature - in the deserts of Central and South America - this multi-meter giant lives for more than 300 years.

We suggest watching a video about the Cereus cactus:

Carnegia (Saguaro)

Very similar to cereus. In the wild, it is found in the Sonora desert on the border of Mexico and the United States, where it lives up to 150 years.

Pachycereus Pringla (Cardon)

A close relative and fellow countryman of the saguaro, lives up to 200 years.

Astrophytum

Astrophytum - a spherical cactus with deep ribs, similar to the rays of a star. It grows naturally in the southern states of the USA and in the north of Mexico. It lives up to 80 years, and the species Astrophytum coahuilens - up to 150 years.

Ferrocactus

Comes from North America. It has the shape of a ball or cylinder. It grows over 100 years (how cacti grow is described in this material).

Echinopsis

A cactus from South America, rounded at a young age and stretching over time, even at home can live more than half a century.

Gymnocalycium

Gymnocalycium - a cactus from South America with a spherical, slightly flattened stalk. There are greenhouse specimens over 120 years old.

Read about Mikhanovich’s hymnocalicium here.

Mamillaria

A small round or cylindrical cactus, often pubescent, growing in the southern United States, in Central and South America. Lives over 100 years.

We offer you to watch a video about the Mammillaria cactus:

Selenicereus

The famous Queen of the Night, a cactus native to the United States and Mexico, features luxurious fragrant flowers that bloom for one night. In greenhouses there are specimens almost 200 years old.

The oldest centenarian in the world

Record holder among long-lived cacti - Dendrocereus holoflotsvetkovy. This tree plant is found only in Cuba. According to experts, the oldest specimen is over 500 years old. It is located in the park of Varadero on the Ikakos Peninsula.

How to care to increase his life?

As noted by cacti, most often at home, a cactus dies not from old age, but as a result of mistakes by a grower. In order for the cactus to live on the windowsill for as long as possible, it is necessary to bring the living conditions closer to natural. Each genus of cactus has individual characteristics, but there are some general principles.

Waterlogging of the soil is one of the main causes of death of cacti at home.

The general rule is cacti need watering as the land dries in a pot. In winter, some types of cactus do not need moisture.

It is preferable to grow a cactus in a clay, rather than in a plastic pot, as ceramics vaporize the liquid better (read about the benefits and harms, as well as growing cacti at home here). The size of the pot should be such that the roots of the cactus reach its walls. The soil should be loose and grainy, include gravel, river sand, etc. The presence of nitrogen in the soil is not allowed. It is best to purchase a special soil mixture for cacti.

Cactus needs to be put on the sunniest window sill in the apartment. In summer, the higher the temperature, the better. In winter, coolness is required (specific temperature values depend on the genus and type of cactus, some are resistant to small frosts, others die even at +5 ° C). Drafts and sudden changes in temperature are not allowed.

No matter how long the plant is, everything comes to an end, and the life cycle of a cactus has a limit. But do not get upset. If you take care of reproduction in advance - and cacti easily form lateral shoots (children), then the descendant of your beloved grandmother's cactus will delight your grandchildren.