What Is a Good Cactus to Plant in Texas?

The Basics Of Cactus Care

• Cacti are not difficult to grow in Texas when you use basic care guidelines. Most importantly, these plants often die of root rot due to overwatering and poor drainage. Cacti need soils without a lot of peat or compost, so use a landscape mix or potting mix and add some coarse sand to improve drainage. Plant in areas with full sun that will not become shady during the winter months. If you choose cacti that are not cold hardy and you live in an area with harsh winters, plant them in a pot and keep them outdoors until fall. Lightly water your potted cacti about every 7 to 10 days, or when they first feel dry to the touch. During spring and summer, water your in-ground cacti according to how they look; periodic watering will help them grow and looking their best. During winter, cacti often go dormant and only need a light watering about once a month.

Hardy Cacti For The Coldest Texas Winters

• If you live in an area like the Texas Panhandle, try planting cacti varieties that do well in very cold winter temperatures. The plain's pincushion cactus (Escobaria missouriensis) is a prickly, low-spreading plant that grows to about 2 inches high and 10 inches wide. In late spring, long-blooming greenish-yellow flowers appear. It is hardy in US Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. The tree cholla (Opuntia imbricata) is a tree-like cactus with candalabra-like branches with lots of barbed spines. Growing from 3 to 9 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide, it can add real visual interest to your xeriscape garden. Magenta 3- to 4-inch flowers bloom in spring, then its dry fruit changes from green to rose and bright yellow. This cholla is hardy in USDA zone 6, according to Texas A&M University's Aggie horticulture. The claret cup cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) is a ball-shape plant that grows to about 12 inches high and 6 inches wide. Scarlett red flowers appear from May though June, but will usually take 3 or more years to flower once this cactus is established. The claret cup is hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9.

Good Cacti Choices For Planting In Texas

• The golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) is a spiny, rounded cactus that becomes elongated with time. It grows from 1 to 3 feet high and spreads from 1 to 3 feet wide. The golden barrel produces bright yellow flowers in summer, adding visual interest to your garden. This bold addition to any xeriscape requires USDA zones 9 through 10 for best growth. The Texas rainbow cactus (Echinocereus dasyacanthus Engelm.) starts out with an oval shape, but becomes cylindrical. It grows to about 15 inches high and 4 inches across, making it a nice, compact plant for a cactus garden. This spiny favorite blooms from March through August with flowers in yellow with pink or orange tints. Texas rainbow cactus is most hardy in USDA zones 8b through 10. The Texas prickly pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) is common to South and central Texas. It is a heavy-bodied cactus that grows from 3 to 9 feet high and 5 to 8 feet wide. Around June, bowl-shaped flowers appear in red or yellow, later fading to orange. Prickly pear fruit is red to purple, ripening July to September. This popular plant is hardy in USDA zones 8a through 10b. Beware: Texas prickly pear cactus is an invasive species, spreading easily by several means with nature's assistance. If you plant it make sure you don't let it get out of hand; removal is tricky.

A Symbol Of Texas

• The Texas prickly pear cactus is the official plant symbol of Texas. The fruits of this variety of prickly pear are edible, and have been eaten by native Americans for thousands of years, along with the people of Mexico and South America. The fruit is sold commercially, and is usually called Tuna. The pads of the prickly pear cactus are eaten as a vegetable and are called napolitos.