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)
Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av BBC Gardeners World.
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Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av BBC Gardeners World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A new plot for tasty crops
Taking on a new allotment needn't be hard work. By simply following a few easy tips you can have bumper crops in no time, just like Alessandro Vitale
We love July
July is an island floating between the joy of June and the slightly fatigued month of August. It's a grown-up month: the year has shrugged off its adolescent exuberances, the weather is (hopefully) warm enough for ice cream to be one of your five a day, the sea should be swimmable without (too much) danger of hypothermia and thoughts will be of holiday shenanigans and family barbecues. School's out this month, the next tranche of glorious summer colour is washing across our borders and it's my birthday. Lots of reasons to give three rousing cheers for July!
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
Now, at the height of summer, Frances Tophill shows how to boost your plants' health and productivity with a timely cut
Hassle-free harvests
Flowers are out in abundance this month and for Jack Wallington, many of these blooms make delicious, low-effort pickings
Bite-sized bounties
Glorious doorstep harvests can easily turn into gluts, so let Rukmini Iyer's recipes help you savour every last bit
Upcycled outdoor living
Create unique and stylish garden features for minimal cost using reclaimed materials and simple DIY skills. Helen Riches shares four step-by-step projects and more inspiring eco tips
Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN
Buildings and landscapes can play a vital role in supercharging your space, as Nick Bailey demonstrates
Greening up a city balcony
Looking for sustainable, small-space gardening ideas? Take inspiration from Oliver Hymans' transformed balcony garden in north-east London - now a lush, green haven for humans and wildlife
The dry and mighty garden
As we adapt our gardens to a more volatile climate, Alan Titchmarsh reveals how to create a drought-tolerant plot and picks his top plant performers
Nature knows best
Carol Klein explains how to choose plants for specific growing conditions, based on what has naturally adapted to thrive there
