Indoor Cactus Plants are trending, they’re most sought after these days and becoming an integral part of modern home decor!
Cacti are gaining a strong following from houseplant admirers, thanks to their unique spiny skin and attractive twisty shapes, which make them look like they were sculpted by mother nature personally to show how creative she could be! And, if you too want to grow them in your home, start with these 25 low-care and most popular indoor cactus plants.
Check out our article on the best fertilizer for cactus plants here
Best Indoor Cactus Plants
1. Bunny Ear
Botanical Name: Opuntia microdasys
Hailing from Mexico, it displays two pads that look like a bunny’s ear. The plant is patterned with glochids or brown prickles and can grow up to 2-3 feet tall.
2. Barrel Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinocactus grusonii
Also known as a golden ball or mother-in-law’s cushion, this classic, most sought after cactus features long, rigid spines that protect it.
3. Chin Cactus
Botanical Name: Gymnocalycium andreae
Its name implies ‘naked kalyx’ in Greek, which refers to the absence of spines or hairs on the flower buds. Some varieties grow in the shade, while others prefer sunlight.
4. Star Cactus
Botanical Name: Astrophytum asteria
Also known as sand dollar cactus and sea urchin, it is distinguished by the round shape, which is sectioned into eight portions covered with white hair and dots.
5. Rat Tail Cactus
Botanical Name: Aporocactus flagelliformis
The trailing stems of this cactus are ideal for hanging baskets as it grows fast and lengths up to 2-3 feet. The plant is quite hardy and tolerates a wide range of temperatures.
6. Old Lady Cactus
Botanical Name: Mammillaria hahniana
This cactus form clusters of 10-inch tall spherical or globe-shaped stems covered in fine white spines and hairs, with a halo of small pink or purple flowers blooming during spring.
7. Bishop’s Cap
Botanical Name: Astrophytum ornatum
Spherical ‘Bishop’s Cap’ looks striking in ceramic pots with its stiff spikes that cover ribbed spheres. It also has a frosty white coating that protects the plant from the sun.
8. Snowball Cactus
This easy-to-grow small ball cactus does well in bright indirect sunlight. Depending on the species, mature plants frequently flowers in yellow, red, pink, or orange blooms.
9. Pincushion Cactus
Botanical Name: Mammillaria crinita
Pincushion Cactus are small plants that can grow up to 6-8 inches in height and can be ball or barrel-shaped, entirely covered with white spines.
10. Peanut Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinopsis chamaecereus
This plant resembles peanut shells, hence the name. It flowers in beautiful shades of white and orange with large flower heads. Contrary to other cacti, it has smooth spines.
11. Fairy Castle Cactus
Botanical Name: Cereus tetragonus
This slow-growing plant, with its numerous bright green vertical stems, can be a great desk or windowsill plant. Keep it near a south-facing window for best growth.
12. Ladyfinger Cactus
Botanical Name: Mammillaria elongata
Popular as the gold lace cactus, it is a small plant, growing up to only 6-7 inches in height. It grows cute white flowers that add to its beauty.
13. Lamb’s Tail Cactus
Botanical Name: Echinocereus schmollii
Multiple long stems adorned with spikes laden with white hair, this cactus makes its mark with its elegant beauty. It is listed as endangered by IUCN.
14. Dinosaur Back Plant
Botanical Name: Myrtillocactus geometrizans forma cristata
If you are a fan of plants with bizarre appearances, then this fits the bill! This cactus forms a fat, tree-like trunk that clusters over one another, giving it a very unique shape.
15. Golden Rat Tail
Botanical Name: Cleistocactus winteri
The cylindrical trailing stems of this cactus give it a gorgeous look, while its spines are gentle and soft to touch. Flowers grow on individual stems in a vivid shade of orange and pink.
False or Grafted Cactus Plants
16. Christmas Cactus
Botanical Name: Schlumbergera bridgessii
Christmas cactus has smooth leaves with soft, rounded spines. It also features red, pink, white, and orange tubular flowers.
Check out our article on how to make Christmas cactus bloom here
17. African Milk Tree Cactus
Botanical Name: Euphorbia trigona
A tall and easy-to-care specimen, if proper sunlight is available, it can be a great addition to your houseplant collection, thanks to its dark green rectangular stems with matching small white or yellow flowers.
18. Easter Cactus
Botanical Name: Schlumbergera gaertneri
Easter or Whitsun cactus is quite similar to Christmas cactus. It flowers during March or April in white to orange or lavender blooms on the top of the prickly plant.
19. Zebra Cactus
Botanical Name: Haworthia fasciata
It’s not a true cactus but goes with the name Zebra cactus. This popular succulent features pointed leaves with white horizontal stripes and dotted insides.
20. Pencil Cactus
Botanical Name: Euphorbia tirucalli
Also Popular as Milk Bush, this is not a true cactus and has pencil-like stems from which the plant photosynthesize. It can grow up to 4-6 feet tall indoors, but be careful if you have pets and kids because its sap is toxic.
21. Lifesaver Cactus
Botanical Name: Huernia zebrina
This unusual-looking cactus has stunning 5-pointed, star-like flowers with zebra-stripes and a thick round ring at the center, the four-sided stems with soft teeth on the edges.
22. Baseball Plant
Botanical Name: Euphorbia obesa
Not a true cactus, the plant features spherical ball-like segments that store water. It forms colorful bracts, which are modified leaves.
23. Pebble Plant
Botanical Name: Lithops
Pebble plants or living stones are native to South Africa and Namibia. They look-like rocks and can survive in extremely challenging conditions.
Check out our article on growing lithops here
24. Moon Cactus
Botanical Name: Gymnocalycium mihanovichii
This grafted cactus is popular as an indoor plant with colorful ball-shaped tops in bright red, yellow, pink, or orange color covered with small, sharp spines on curved veins.
25. Candelabra Tree
Botanical Name: Euphorbia ingens
A dramatic cactus lookalike, it can be a great addition to rooms, adding an appeal with its lush green height and clusters of white flowers with red tips.
I don’t think some of them are okay for indoor plants, almost all cactus needs sunlight like 4-6 hours a day or more.