Small cacti look great, but these Amazing Cactus with Arms will steal all the limelight. Don’t believe us? See for yourself!
Have you ever seen a cactus with arms? Believe it or not, there are several cactus species that defy the typical prickly, columnar cactus stereotype. In this post, we’ll tell you all about them.
Amazing Cactus with Arms
1. Dog Tail Cactus
Botanical Name: Strophocactus testudo
Let’s start with the Dog Tail Cactus—it’s an interesting one because, in the wild, it can actually climb trees. Over time, its main stem gets thicker while the long, thin tails grow out from it.
These tails are what make it look like it has arms reaching out, all fuzzy with tiny spines. Pretty neat, right?
2. Fairy Castle Cactus
Botanical Name: Acanthocereus tetragonus
Doesn’t it look like they make a pose with the whole family to click a pic? The Fairy Castle Cactus has clusters of thick, green stems that branch out in all directions. The stems are kind of bumpy and have ridges, which resemble towers and turrets of a castle.
And though they don’t have real arms, all these branching stems reaching out definitely give that impression.
3. Saguaro Cactus
Botanical Name: Carnegiea gigantea
The Saguaro cactus is basically the king of cacti! They can grow over 40 feet tall and start off as single columns, but as they get older, they grow amazing thick arms that reach out towards the sky.
Some Saguaros can have over 50 arms, waving in the breeze–like a friendly giant with lots of high fives to give! But don’t do it–they’re covered in spikes.
Fun Fact: Did you know? Small birds make holes inside the soft flesh of the Saguaro to build their nests, while larger ones build nests on the cactus’s arms. Here are more Saguaro cactus facts.
4. Devil’s Rope Cactus
Botanical Name: Cylindropuntia bigelovii
The Devil’s Rope Cactus isn’t as big as the others! It looks more like a tangled mess than a cactus plant. It’s got long, bumpy green stems that connect in a zig-zag way, kind of like a spiky rope.
That’s how it got its name. These stems grow in all directions, making it look like a tangled monster with lots of prickly arms reaching out to grab you–definitely not for cuddling!
5. Branched Pencil Cholla
Botanical Name: Cylindropuntia Ramosissima
The Branched Pencil Cholla has many thin, green branches that grow out in all directions, resembling a bunch of pencils clustered together. The branches are segmented, and some of these “pencils” might have a single long spine, like a sharp little pencil lead.
So, while it doesn’t have arms like other cacti, it has a bunch of spiky “pencil arms” reaching out in all directions!
6. Blue Myrtle Cactus
Botanical Name: Myrtillocactus geometrizans
Unlike other cacti with arms, the Blue Myrtle doesn’t have many spines, so it looks more elegant than prickly. It starts as a single, thick stem that’s a cool blue-green color, almost like a dusty blueberry.
As it gets older, this stem branches out multiple times, forming the arms that reach upwards. These “arms” aren’t smooth and round though, they have ridges running down them, creating a cool geometric pattern.
7. Key Tree Cactus
Botanical Name: Pilosocereus robinii
The Key Tree Cactus is the giant of the Florida Keys! This cactus isn’t just sitting around like most cacti–it grows tall and strong, with a single main trunk that can shoot up to 30 feet, more like a tree than a prickly bush.
As it gets older, it even branches out with thick arms reaching sideways. Truly an amazing cactus with arms.
8. Totem Pole Cactus
Botanical Name: Pachycereus schottii f. monstrous
The Totem Pole Cactus is a real conversation starter because it’s covered in bumps and ridges, giving it a knobby texture.
The bumps and folds run vertically along the tall stems, making it look like a totem pole carved with lots of faces. Once it matures, it branches out further and grows many different arms.
9. Jumping Cholla Cactus
Botanical Name: Cylindropuntia fulgida
The Jumping Cholla Cactus has arms that might look fuzzy and harmless with their light green, segmented stems, but don’t be fooled. Its segments detach super easily, even with a light brush.
That’s why it’s called “jumping” cholla—a part can snag on your clothes or fur and hitch a ride like it’s jumping on you! These segments are covered in tiny spines, too, so getting a hitchhiker cholla stuck to you isn’t exactly pleasant.
10. Torch Cactus
Botanical Name: Armatocereus mataranus
The Torch cactus is a bit of a rare sight, but definitely worth talking about! It develops the segmented ribs that run vertically.
Ribs can give it a bit of a wavy look, but overall, it keeps that straight, impressive posture, like arms reaching for the sky. It even has beautiful white flowers that bloom at night.
11. Calico Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinocereus Engelmannii
If you are looking for a small cactus with arms. Then this one is for you! You can find Calico Cactus growing in clusters with up to 60 stems in desert areas. But what really gives it the “arms” look are the spines!
The spines come in a mix of red, brown, and gray, all poking out in different directions—just like a patchwork quilt, which is how it got the name “Calico.”
12. Organ-Pipe Cactus
Botanical Name: Stenocereus thurberi
The Organ Pipe Cactus is like a majestic forest all by itself! It has slender stems that rise from the base like arms. Its stems aren’t smooth and round but curve and twist in all directions, resembling the pipes of a giant, old-fashioned organ—hence the name!
Stenocereus thurberi might be a slow grower, but it can live for over 150 years.
13. Candle Cactus
Botanical Name: Armatocereus rauhii subsp.
The Candle Cactus is pretty common in South America. Depending on the subspecies, it can grow anywhere from 13 to 33 feet tall!
Over time, this main stem can get thicker and branch out near the top, creating a few to several upright arms. These arms reach upwards, too, giving the whole cactus a beautiful, branching silhouette.
14. San Pedro Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinopsis pachanoi
The San Pedro Cactus is an amazing columnar cactus. It’s native to the Andes mountains in South America, where it can get really tall—some grow up to 20 feet! They don’t have actual arms, but they have ribs running down their sides.
Sometimes, these ribs grow at slightly different angles, so from a distance, it can look like the cactus has little arms branching out. Cool, right?
15. Cane Cactus
Botanical Name: Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica
The Cane Cactus is another interesting cactus with arms that grow sideways just as much as they do vertically. These guys like to grow in groups, so you often see them in big patches. They’re easy to grow, too, and perfect for patios, balconies, and the lawn or backyard.
Some Unique Ones!
16. Candelabra Cactus
Botanical Name: Euphorbia ingens
Candelabra has a main stem that grows straight up and thick, with lots of branches jutting out from the sides at weird angles. These branches look a bit like candelabra arms holding invisible candles. This super cool cactus can grow up to 30 feet tall!
17. Jasminocereus
Botanical Name: Jasminocereus
There’s also another kind called the Candelabra—Jasminocereus. This one is more common in places like the Galapagos Islands.
It isn’t quite as big, but it gets its name from its main stem splitting into lots of thick, upright branches. They don’t grow as tall as the Euphorbia ingens, but they’re still impressive!
18. Giant Madagascar Palm
Botanical Name: Pachypodium laneri
The Giant Madagascar Palm might surprise you! It’s not actually a palm tree at all, more like a spiky cousin. It has a giant trunk that stores water, helping it survive in dry places like Madagascar, where it comes from.
Unlike palm trees with leaves all the way down, the Madagascar Palm only has lush green leaves at the very top. And although it has spines instead of arms, it does look a bit like a spiky pineapple with a leafy crown!
Note: It might seem like a cactus with arms, but it belongs to the Apocynaceae family, not the Cactaceae family.
19. African Milk Tree Cactus
Botanical Name: Euphorbia trigona
The African Milk Tree Cactus is another plant that’s not actually a cactus! It’s a succulent. These guys can grow really tall, like up to 10 feet!
They don’t have real arms, but their stems have these three flat sides with ridges running down them. They grow upwards and make it look like a cactus with arms from a distance.
We’d love to hear about your experience with these or any other cacti with arms. Have a favorite? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below!
