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With cacti we associate thorn-armed desert plants with bizarre growth forms. It is often overlooked that there are indeed cacti without spines to be discovered. Get to know some of the most beautiful species here. Our tips on care show the differences to their prickly counterparts.

Hanging leaf cacti have no spines and beautiful flowers

Species of cacti without spines - an overview

At the beginning of their evolution, cacti had no thorns. Over the course of millions of years, desert cacti were forced to adapt to the dry, hot climatic conditions. To do this, they learned to store water in leaves, shoots, and stems. Additionally, they curled their leaves into thorns to reduce evaporation.

However, cacti in the South American rainforests were not forced to take these measures. The following species and varieties still thrive as leaf cacti and at most have delicate bristles instead of thorns:

  • Christmas cacti (Schlumberga)
  • Easter cacti (Hatiora - until recently Rhipsalidopsis)
  • Cobbler cactus (Disocactus ackermannii)
  • Hanging Leaf Cacti (Epiphyllum)
  • Mistletoe Cactus, Rod Cactus (Rhipsalis)

Like many rainforest plants, leaf cacti thrive epiphytically in their homeland, high atop the branches of majestic jungle giants. Its flowers, which are up to 30 cm in size, unfold numerous wild species at night. Well-known varieties, on the other hand, delight us with a long-lasting flowering period during the day, such as the 'German Empress' (Disocactus phyllanthoides).

Full sun undesirable - tips for the ideal location

Native to the rainforests and mountain forests of South America, cacti without thorns make different demands on the location than their thorny counterparts from the desert. Leaf cacti want a semi-shady place on the east or west window, where they cannot get direct sunlight at midday. In addition, increased humidity of 60 to 70 percent is beneficial.

How to properly care for leaf cacti

While you can even plant desert cacti in sand, cacti without spines thrive in a nutrient-rich, loose, and slightly acidic substrate. Well suited for this purpose is rhododendron earth, which you can optimize with Seramis, lava granules (€13.99) or fine-grained pine bark substrate. The following measures are important in the care program:

  • Water with lime-free water when the substrate surface has dried
  • Spray the entire plant with soft water every 1 to 2 days
  • Fertilize liquidly every 14 days from March to September with a special fertilizer for leaf cacti

Since leaf cacti do not thrive as succulents, pruning is always possible without any problems. Shorten shoots that are too long with sharp, disinfected scissors. The best time for pruning is at the end of winter dormancy.

tips

Although cacti with and without spines differ significantly in their care requirements, they pull together when it comes to hibernation. With a few exceptions, cool dormancy is essential for the exotic plants to bud. From October/November to February/March, the extravagant beauties linger in a bright location with temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius.

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Vegetable garden