The title for this chapter might be better phrased as ‘ All about succulents, including cacti ‘, for with one or two insignificant exceptions all cacti are succulents, although by no means are all succulents cacti. This is, in fact, typical of the world of succulents, easy and simple enough on the surface but technically and botanically abounding with difficulties, exceptions to the rule, problems of nomenclature and private theories from the experts.

However, cacti are such fascinating plants even without their flowers and so easy to grow and keep that they are well worth while. They are ideal plants for the smaller home and the town flat, for as a rule they take up little space and make little demand on time or attention. Some can grow very large indeed, but the way we grow them and the facilities we offer tend generally to keep them small, slow growing and convenient.

The main oddity about cacti is that they have no leaves. They appear to consist entirely of fleshy stems of various shapes, usually covered or dotted with regular series of spikes or hairs.

In the second place, although we all know that all cacti must flower at some time, there is always the element of doubt and surprise about our own specimens. Will they flower this year or not?

Cactus flowers are sometimes large and spectacular, sometimes small and insignificant. Colours can be vivid or drab. Some may last only a few hours while others continue open and shining for days.

Some cacti can be made to flower regularly every year, some may be spasmodic, flowering according to season and others will flower only when they have reached a certain age or size and so may not bring us pleasure in this way in our entire lifetime.