49 Cacti and succulents 🌵
Cacti and succulents store their own water in thick, fleshy leaves and stems, which is exactly why they forgive a forgetful owner. Every plant here is one whose own notes mark it out as a succulent or cactus - built for bright light, gritty soil and long gaps between watering rather than the steady moisture most houseplants want.
The one rule that matters: water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out completely before the next drink. More succulents die from staying wet than from drought - err dry, give them the brightest window you have, and use a gritty, free-draining mix.
Agave
Agaves are bold, architectural succulents that form dramatic rosettes of thick, pointed leaves,…
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is the houseplant that earns its keep.
Baby Toes
Baby toes is an oddball little succulent that grows a cluster of upright, finger-like leaves, ea…
Bear's Paw
Bear's paw is an irresistibly cute succulent whose chunky, fuzzy leaves are tipped with rows of…
Bishop's Cap Cactus
The bishop's cap is a spineless, sculptural little cactus shaped like a plump star or a bishop's…
Bunny Ears Cactus
The bunny ears cactus is a charming small opuntia whose flat, oval pads sprout in pairs like a r…
Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
The Burro's Tail - Sedum morganianum, also known as the donkey's tail - is a trailing succulent…
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
The Christmas Cactus is a beloved heirloom houseplant - the one that bursts into vivid, exotic b…
Crassula Perforata (String of Buttons)
Crassula perforata - the "String of Buttons" - is a charming, easy-going succulent whose small t…
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
The Crown of Thorns is a tough, sun-loving succulent shrub that does something remarkable: it ca…
Desert Rose
The desert rose is a spectacular caudex succulent that swells into a fat, sculptural, bottle-lik…
Echeveria
Echeveria is the quintessential rosette succulent - the plump, symmetrical, flower-like rosette…
Euphorbia Trigona (African Milk Tree)
The African Milk Tree, Euphorbia trigona, is a bold, architectural houseplant that looks exactly…
Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
The Fishbone Cactus - Epiphyllum anguliger - is a trailing jungle cactus grown above all for its…
Gasteria (Ox Tongue)
Gasteria is a small, tough, slow-growing succulent from South Africa, best known for its thick,…
Ghost Plant
The ghost plant is an easy, fast-growing rosette succulent in soft, ghostly shades of pale grey,…
Golden Barrel Cactus
The golden barrel is a plump, globe-shaped cactus wrapped in dense golden-yellow spines, one of…
Gymnocalycium (Chin Cactus)
Gymnocalyciums are rounded, easy-going desert cacti named for their smooth, spineless flower bud…
Hatiora (Easter Cactus)
The Easter Cactus (Hatiora gaertneri, sometimes sold as Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri or Schlumberger…
Haworthia (Zebra Plant & Window Plants)
Haworthia is the small, tough, charming succulent that fits almost anywhere - a desk, a windowsi…
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
The Jade Plant is a small, sturdy succulent tree that can become a lifelong companion - often ou…
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
The Flaming Katy Kalanchoe is the cheerful, easy succulent that you buy already bursting with fl…
Lithops (Living Stones)
Lithops are among the strangest and most fascinating plants you can keep on a windowsill.
Moon Cactus
The moon cactus is the eye-catching, brightly coloured little cactus you see topped with a ball…
Moonstones
Moonstones is a slow, plump rosette succulent whose fat, egg-shaped leaves come in dreamy pastel…
Old Lady Cactus
The old lady cactus is a plump, globe-shaped Mammillaria wrapped in a soft-looking veil of fine…
Paddle Plant (Flapjacks)
The paddle plant, or flapjacks, is a bold succulent that stacks big, flat, rounded leaves like a…
Panda Plant
The panda plant is a charming, fuzzy succulent whose plump grey-green leaves are coated in soft,…
Peperomia
Peperomia is not one plant but a huge, wonderfully varied family of compact, easy, pet-safe hous…
Peruvian Apple Cactus
The Peruvian apple is a tall, columnar, blue-green cactus that grows faster than almost any othe…
Pincushion Cactus
Pincushion cacti (Mammillaria) are small, rounded, easy-going desert cacti that reliably ring th…
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
The Ponytail Palm is one of the most charming and characterful houseplants there is - a swollen,…
Portulacaria Afra (Dwarf Jade / Elephant Bush)
Portulacaria afra - known as Dwarf Jade or Elephant Bush - is a fast-growing, bushy succulent sh…
Prickly Pear Cactus
The prickly pear, or opuntia, is the classic flat-padded cactus, forming chains of paddle-shaped…
Rat Tail Cactus
The rat tail cactus is a trailing desert cactus grown for its long, slender, pendant stems that…
Rebutia (Crown Cactus)
Rebutias are tiny, clustering desert cacti that flower so freely and so young that a small pot c…
Rhipsalis (Mistletoe Cactus)
Rhipsalis - the "Mistletoe Cactus" - is a cactus that breaks all the rules you think you know ab…
Saguaro Cactus
The saguaro is the giant, tree-like cactus of the American Southwest, an icon of the desert that…
Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks)
Sempervivums, or hens and chicks, are tough little rosette succulents that multiply into tidy ma…
Silver Torch Cactus
The silver torch is a slender, upright columnar cactus wrapped so densely in fine white spines t…
Star Cactus
The star cactus is a small, spineless, geometric gem - a low, ribbed dome divided into neat segm…
String of Bananas (Curio radicans)
The String of Bananas - sometimes still sold under its older name Senecio radicans - is one of t…
String of Dolphins (Senecio peregrinus)
String of Dolphins is one of the most charming novelty succulents you can grow.
String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
The String of Hearts is one of the most delicate and romantic of all trailing houseplants - long…
String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus / Curio rowleyanus)
String of Pearls is one of the most distinctive and photogenic of all houseplants - long, delica…
String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)
The String of Turtles - Peperomia prostrata - is a delicate, slow-growing trailing plant grown a…
Tiger Jaws
Tiger jaws is a small, characterful succulent whose fat triangular leaves are edged with soft, c…
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ Plant is the houseplant for the darkest, most neglected corner of your home.
ZZ Raven (Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Raven')
The ZZ Raven is the dramatic dark cousin of the classic ZZ Plant - a striking cultivar whose new…
Prefer to filter yourself? Try the Plant Finder to narrow all houseplants by light and watering.
Choosing a plant for a home with pets? We keep toxicity off Plantvale on purpose - see Pawholt's pet-safe plant list.