There are more than 50 to 100 types of cactus plants that you can grow indoors. But we will explore the ten best cactus varieties that you can consider growing at home.
I’ve chosen cactus types based on their low maintenance schedule with a unique look to catch attention.
Besides this, you can use these Indoor cactus plants in your bedroom or dining room, as they can also purify the air.
Top 10 unique Types of Cactus Plant Indoor
Here are the ten best cactus varieties indoors based on low maintenance, appearance, etc.
1. Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia)
Prickly Pear Cactus are my first choice to grow indoors because they are native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and South America. They’re famously known because of their flat pedal-shaped pads.
You can grow cactus in drought-tolerant and hot environments. They just only want well-draining soil. Besides this, they can tolerate different types of lighting conditions, such as full sun and partial shade.
Especially if you are a beginner, I’d suggest you grow a Prickly pear cactus, as it’s edible, too. Its fruit is beneficial for health because it has been used medically to treat conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammation.
You might also be surprised to know that Prickly Pear Cactus is used in Mexican and Southwestern cousins.
It has a nice and classic look, plus this type of cactus is easy to care for and produces beautiful flowers. Therefore, you should consider growing it in your home.
2. Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus)
The Barrel Cactus, also known as Echinocactus, is another low-maintenance indoor cactus plant. It is perfect for a home garden due to its uniqueness.
Moreover, Barrel Cactus is native to hot and dry environments. That’s why, if you’re living in a place which is usually warm or has sunny conditions, you can consider having it. Because it doesn’t even need water again and again.
Because of its low maintenance condition, Barrel Cactus is Ideal for beginner gardeners, especially when you have a limited space like a small apartment, as there are small indoor cactus plants.
3. Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microtasks)
Bunny Ear Cactus is another cute indoor cactus plant, which is really easy to care for as they don’t need a lot of watering and attention. Plus, it can survive in hot and dry conditions as well.
During the spring season, your bunny cactus can grow pink flowers and sometimes yellow ones as well. And trust me, it looks really adorable.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a fun and easy-to-care cactus plant to grow in your home, I’d highly suggest you get a bunny ear cactus, as they’re cute and will absolutely look amazing in your home.
4. Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
It’s not truly a cactus but a succulent with a unique “ponytail” trunk. This type of cactus is very good-looking and can easily grow indoors.
Ponytail Palm is famous because of its unique swollen trunk, which looks like an upside-down water balloon. It has long, curly leaves that drop down like a ponytail. That’s the reason we call this cactus “Ponytail Palm”.
The Ponytail Palm is also a low-maintenance cactus plant, which makes it super easy to grow and care for. Even if you don’t know anything about gardening or you’re a beginner, you can still consider having it in your home.
5. Jade Cactus (Crassula ovata)
Jade Cactus is another great choice for a low maintenance Indoor cactus plant as it doesn’t need a lot of water or care. You can provide water once or twice a week, depending on whether the soil is completely dry or not.
Compared to other cacti and succulents, it can grow quickly under the right conditions. For example, if you’re growing any other cactus varieties alongside jade, then within a year, you’ll notice that the Jade Cactus is a few inches taller and wider than others.
Therefore, it’s a good choice for those who are beginners at gardening or want to have a low-maintenance cactus plant for indoor space.
6. Zebra Cactus (Haworthia fasciata)
Zebra cactus is also an indoor plant that is low maintenance and easy to grow. It’s called Zebra cactus because of its horizontal stripes on its green leaves.
Moreover, Zebra Cacti don’t require direct sunlight as they can grow in indirect or bright sunlight. You can give it water once a week or sometimes once every two weeks, depending on whether the soil is dried out or not.
However, one thing you may not like is the slow growth. It is quite slow compared to other cacti I’ve mentioned before, such as jade, ponytail palm, etc.
Secondly, its maximum goes around 6 to 8 inches. So, they are perfect for placing on shelves or windowsills.
7. Moon Cactus (Gymnocalycium)
Moon Cactus usually comes in Vibrant, colorful hybrid cacti in shades of red, orange, and yellow.
This Cactus variety is called Moon Cactus because of its unique appearance, which is spherical in shape.
However, they’re easy to care for, as they don’t also require water again and again. They can simply grow in bright conditions. Moreover, it is also a fast-growing cacti as compared to others. Plus, they can reach around 4 to 6 inches tall.
8. Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
Fishbone cactus is another unique variety of cacti. Its greenish leaves look like a fish skeleton or kind of a zig-zag, which is really eye-catching.
However, Fishbone Cactus is also a good choice for indoor gardening. Because it doesn’t need too much water or direct sunlight as it can grow in bright light or low light as well.
Moreover, it is one of the fastest-growing cactus varieties, especially if it gets proper bright light, not even direct sunlight.
So overall, if you want to have a unique cactus, you can consider having a fishbone cacti, due to its unique eye-catching appearance.
9. Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria)
The Pincushion Cactus is no maintenance plant that can be easily grown indoors without paying too much attention to it, like watering, lighting, etc.
However, it comes in a really compact size, which is too small and round and grows close to the soil. In my opinion, it will look good on a windowsill, shelves, or even a table.
However, one thing to note is that it doesn’t grow fast. It’s a low cactus, so you need to be patient while it grows.
Most plants that I have mentioned before require bright light, and they don’t really need enough sunlight. But, Pincushion cactus want plenty of sunlight to grow, And you can provide water when the soil is completely dry.
10. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
It is not a true cactus, but the Snake Plant is another excellent choice for indoor gardening because it is low maintenance and good-looking, so you don’t have to care a lot. Still, it will thrive perfectly in natural bright light.
Snake plants can survive for weeks without even providing water because it is their natural habitat. They can store enough water in their thick, upright leaves for the future.
However, they are also slow-growing cactus plants, which is very good for you as you don’t have to trim them consistently, unlike the Chinese money plant or the prayer plant.
Cactus Propagation Techniques
If you already have a cactus plant and now you want to propagate it, or you have a seed and want to propagate it, then there are three techniques you can follow:
Seed propagation
Growing cactus from seed is a little time-consuming, but you can build genetic diversity by doing so.
Firstly, you need a cactus seed, which you will plant in well-draining soil and keep consistently moisturized until it germinates, which will take a few weeks.
Pup or Offset propagation
Many cacti naturally produce offset, which are also called puffs. It comes from the base of the mother plants; suppose you have a plant so you can check if it’s a root and if there are any offsets.
Once you find an offset coming from the mother plant, you’ve to detach it if it’s little developed and has its own root and place it in a different pot.
Stem cutting propagation
You can also grow some cacti using the stem-cutting propagation method. To grow from a stem, you first need to take a healthy stem and then plant it in well-draining soil.
However, this method works perfectly for columnar and jointed cacti. Keep in mind that I have shared many different types of indoor cactus with different characteristics.
Therefore, the propagation method is dependent on the cactus variety, but usually, it will be if stem cutting, from seed, or offsets.
Indoor Cactus Care Tips
Here are some general tips for taking care of your indoor cactus plant; they are perfectly suitable for all types of cactus but especially for those which I have shared:
Lighting requirements
These unique indoor cacti need a lot of bright light. Although they can survive in direct sunlight, you can provide them with at least 6 hours of light. You can place them in direct sunlight or near a window.
If you’re placing your cactus near a window, make sure it is a south-facing or west-facing window. Too little light isn’t good for them as it causes stretching and poor growth.
Watering and soil needs
Remember, cactus can survive in a warm environment. It is their natural habitat. And many cacti can also store water in their leaves. So you don’t have to provide it again and again. However, if the soil is completely dry, you still need to provide it with water.
You should also provide a well-draining cactus/succulent soil mix to prevent any root rot.
By the way, make sure you’re not providing too much water because it can cause problems with your cacti, especially when it’s an indoor cactus plant.
Repotting and container selection
You can repot your cactus plant every 2-3 years during the spring season and you can also provide fresh soil.
Besides this, always choose shallow and wider containers with few drainage holes, and most importantly, don’t put multiple cacti in the same pot.
Common pests and diseases
Be careful of some common diseases that can happen to your cactus, such as spider mites, mealybugs, scale, etc.
Fungal diseases like root rot are also a problem for your cactus plant, and they are mostly caused by overwatering. You can also use pest control for your cacti, like Neem oil.
Conclusion
Overall, there are more than 50 to 100 types of cactus plants. Some of the best indoor cactus plant varieties are Prickly Pear, Bunny Ears, Ponytail Palm, Zebra Cactus, etc.
Most of these cactus plants are low maintenance and have a beautiful full appearance. Even if you are new to gardening or don’t have enough time to provide water and take care of your plant, you can consider having any of these cactus plants.
These plants can simply improve your house appearance as they’re usually used in home decor as well. But the interesting thing is that these indoor cactus plants can purify air, which is a really amazing benefit of having them.
Just ensure that you’re providing enough light and water in moderation, as many cacti don’t mind direct sunlight, but too much water can be a little problematic, especially when the soil isn’t properly mixed and doesn’t have any holes in the pot.
How often should you water a cactus plant?
First of all, Cacti can easily survive in a hot environment, and they don’t require too much water. But still, it is said that you can water the cactus plant once in two or three weeks during the growing season, which is early summer and spring.
Moreover, before providing water to your plant, you want to make sure the soil is completely dried out; you can touch it with your finger to get an idea.
In the winter season, you can provide it just once a month or sometimes. Or you can again touch the soil; if it’s not moisturized, then you can give it water; otherwise, it’s okay.
Can you eat cactus plants?
It depends on the cactus plant and whether you can eat it or not. For example, the prickly pear cactus, also known as Opuntia species, has a part that is (pads or nopales).
It’s an edible part of a prickly cactus plant, and it tastes like a cucumber. Plus, it also looks like a cucumber due to its fleshy green color.
Some other edible cacti are barrel cactus, organ pipe cactus, and cholla cactus. However, not all cactus varieties are safe to eat. Some cactus can be toxic so don’t eat without proper knowledge.
Many cacti may contain compounds that can be harmful to your health. So I advise you to eat only edible ones like barrel cactus, prickly pear, etc., whom you already know; otherwise, don’t eat randomly without proper research.