Growing up, I remember marvelling at all the cacti and succulents that grew proudly in various windowsills around my late grandmother's home. One specimen that always stood out was a Christmas cactus that was well over 50-years old. After she passed away in 2017, I became the proud owner of this majestic specimen and it made me realise how this fascinating group of house plants can easily become poignant family heirlooms to be treasured for many generations to come.
To unlock their true potential, remember just one simple seven-letter word - neglect. These plants are the best examples of survivorship in volatile environments, so all you need to provide is a sunny windowsill and ensure that the soil is bone dry before rehydrating your desert dweller. This month, I've picked 12 classic cacti and succulents, along with some unusual alternatives that every grower should add to their collection.
Joe Bagley is a house-plant expert and has been a presenter at Gardeners' World Live since 2021. See him on stage this year, 15-18 June, and get more of his house-plant expertise at ukhouseplants.com
The old man cactus (Espostoa lanata)
Certainly the hairiest plant on this list, the old man cactus is a very easy specimen to grow indoors. Each hair strand can be as long as 1.5cm, and together they form a soft cover around the cactus to reduce the glare of the sun's rays across it, thus reducing the risk of sun scorch and dehydration.
Brain cactus (Mammillaria spinosissima cristata)
Sometimes appearing in UK garden centres, you're most likely to snap up one of these beauties online. Unlike most other desert dwellers, this species develops slowly but will always retain its wave-like foliage while growing, so it's certainly a plant that'll keep 'wowing' you for years to come.
Queen of the night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)
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