Do you know how many types of cactus in Arizona reside? Let’s find out and learn about their secrets of survival in such arid conditions.
Arizona is also famous as the ‘Grand Canyon State’ and is home to more than 60 different types of cactus plants. Ranging from the state flower Saguaro cactus to the rare species of Pincushion cactus, these unique desert dwellers take shelter in the rocky slopes and river banks of the desert. Let’s explore some in this listicle!
Types of Cactus in Arizona
1. Old Man Cactus
Botanical Name: Cephalocereus senilis
Cephalocereus senilis is a tall cactus growing in the dry shrubland areas of the desert. It is a popular houseplant today, as it is quite popular for its hairy or wooly appearance. Featuring clusters of stems that grow to 16 to 40 feet tall.
However, the most attractive feature is its vigorous coat of long white hair from which it gets the name “old man cactus.”
2. Ocotillo
Botanical Name: Fouquieria splendens
When you walk through the deserts of Arizona, ocotillo plants will be the first thing that you notice. They are the slim and tall, cane-like unbranched spiny stems that grow from a short trunk. However, it is not a true cactus, but the thorny appearance contributes to making it a cactus!
3. Santa Rita Prickly Pear
Botanical Name: Opuntia santa-rita
Considered as a food of the desert! Surprisingly, almost all species of the Opuntia genus bear edible fruits and pads that serve as a food source for desert animals and humans. The pads of this cactus are round with a bluish-gray to purple color and the fruits are relatively small and reddish purple.
Moreover, these sweet-to-taste fruits can be consumed raw or used to make various products such as jams, jellies, and even alcoholic beverages like Prickly Pear cactus wine.
4. Saguaro
Botanical Name: Carnegia gigantia
A giant that stands tall in the desert, the Saguaro cactus is found only in the Sonoran Desert. Interestingly, they can grow up to 70 feet tall and weigh upwards of 4,500 pounds when they get to about 50 to 75 years old.
Moreover, the blooms of this cactus are the state flower of Arizona, and there are strict regulations on their collection or destruction.
5. Santa Cruz Beehive Cactus
Botanical Name: Coryphantha recurvata
Also popular as the Golden Pincushion for its vigorous spines all over its round barrel structure. The Santa Cruz Beehive cactus is an adorable-looking, round, and small cactus that measures up to 6 inches but often grows in colonies of 40 to 50 individuals.
6. Hedgehog Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinocereus reichenbachii
The Hedgehog cactus gets its name because it somewhat resembles one! It’s also sometimes called the strawberry Hedgehog cactus because its fruit tastes a little bit like strawberries. The fruit is often eaten by birds and rodents and it has pretty bright pink cup-shaped flowers that close at night and open in the morning.
7. Bonker Hedgehog Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinocereus bonkerae
A rare beauty that lies in a small area in the center of the state between Payson and San Carlos Lake near the Santa Catalina Mountains of Arizona. The Bonker Hedgehog has a very attractive structure because of its short, bristly spines over its green cylindrical stem.
8. Barrel Cactus
Botanical Name: Ferocactus species
The mighty Barrel cactus is also known as a Compass cactus sometimes, because it grows faster on its northern or shady side which makes the whole cactus curve and point slightly towards the south. Interestingly, the older ones can lean so far that they actually uproot and fall over in heavy rains. Once they fall over though they don’t die quickly and can still live for up to 6 years.
9. Cholla Cactus
Botanical Name: Cylindropuntia species
The attractive yet weird one! Cholla cactus is sometimes referred to as the Jumping cactus because the spines detach very easily and can seem to jump on you if brushed over. The spines are covered with papery sheaths that fall off with age. It produces new flowers on the chains every year making the chains grow longer.
10. Eagle Claws
Botanical Name: Echinocactus horizonthalonius
These spiky dudes belong to the genus of Barrel cactus. Eagle claws are attractive, slow-growing species with broad ribs bearing clusters of (5 to 8) radial spines. The gorgeous bright pink flowers form at the top in the early summer season.
11. Fishhook Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinomastus erectocentrus
It is quite rare and is available only in some specific regions of southern Arizona. The Fishhook cactus features maroon-purple spines over its upright body and showcases beautiful white to off-white flowers at the top in the form of a tight circle during the spring season later giving out green fruits at the end.
12. Common Beehive Cactus
Botanical Name: Esobaria viviparia
The Common Beehive cactus is the most widespread cactus in the US. Because it seems to have a good frost tolerance and adapts well to a wide range of habitats. It has the remarkable shape of a globe or small cylinder, generally less than 2 inches in diameter, and can grow up to 8 inches under favorable conditions.
13. Devil Club Cholla
Botanical Name: Grusonia emoryi
The Devil Club Cholla is found in the rocky slopes of the desert. It has a high ornamental value and is mostly used as a hedge plant. However, beware of its gruesome long thorns that are all over its body. Besides, it bears small, yellow flowers after the first rainfall of spring-summer.
14. Pincushion Cactus
Botanical Name: Mammillaria grahamii
Pincushion cacti are very small, delicate, basally-branched columnar cacti with very showy pink flowers. They make an excellent addition to an intimate-scale cactus, rock, or display garden, and contrast well with other small agave and cacti species. This is an excellent choice for intimate-scale desert, rock, and succulent gardens.
15. Violet Prickly Pear
Botanical Name: Opuntia gosseliniana
The twin sibling of the Santa Rita Prickly Pear! The two look almost the same and are found in the same area but the Violet prickly pear generally has shorter spines or no spines at all and also has larger pads with larger clusters.
Moreover, the pads may be purple or green depending on environmental conditions; when purple, the species resembles Opuntia santa-rita.
16. Purple Prickly Pear
Botanical Name: Opuntia macrocentra
The red-tinged succulent pads and very long spines easily distinguish it from the many other species of prickly pear. Purple Prickly pear features a nice purple tinge that is more around the areoles and on the edges. Although the entire plant may seem to appear purple in winter!
17. Tulip Prickly Pear
Botanical Name: Opuntia phaeacantha
Have you come across their bright red and yellow flowers? The flowers of the Tulip Prickly Pear are so gorgeous and warm that upon the arrival of flowering season, the red hue is a wonderful sight to catch! It looks more beautiful when the evening sunset rays contrast with them.
18. Totem Pole Cactus
Botanical Name: Pachycereus schottii
Totem Poles are named such because of their unusual textures that look like multiple faces carved along the trunk! Besides, the bark of the straight species, P. schottii has been used to treat cancer, diabetes, ulcers, sores, stomach disorders, and tuberculosis.
19. Brady’s Pincushion Cactus
Botanical Name: Pediocactus bradyi
Brady’s Pincushion is available in scattered populations over the area of the Marble Canyon along the Colorado River. This is a threatened species that exclusively grows on Kaibab limestone chips in sloping benches. Besides, it has a unique feature of burying itself inside the soil during drought conditions!
20. Organ pipe cactus
Botanical Name: Stenocereus thurberi
Along with the Saguaro, the Organ Pipe Cactus is one of Arizona’s most distinctive cacti. It forms large clusters of 30-foot-high stems, branching from the base. This characteristic is what distinguishes the two species, as branches on saguaro only appear partway up the stem.
So, how do you like the collection of these 20 most common to a few rare ones? Would you like to add some more to it? If you may, we would deeply appreciate it.
