Rolling Thunder Nursery

The terms cacti and succulents are often used to indicate separate groups of plants, but the truth is that they are one and the same. The simple explanation is that all cacti are succulents, but all succulents are not cacti. Cacti are simply a sub-category of the larger group called Succulents. Plants that are adapted to dry or desert conditions are called Xerophytes, which total in the 10's of thousands of species and cover many different families of plants. Succulents are Xerophytes that have developed storage structures for holding water during times of drought. The structures developed vary from stems to leaves to the roots. Cacti are considered stem succulents, while agaves, yuccas and euphorbias are considered leaf or root succulents. The leaf or root succulents are known as Caudiciforms, i.e., producing caudexes which store water. These caudexes are often swollen bases at the top of the root structures, which provide a stunning effect visually, particularly in bonsai. For this reason, and the fact that many succulents are very slow growing, this plant group is very popular for making bonsai.

Cultivation of most cacti and succulents is very easy. Although somewhat slow growing, they are extremely durable and have very few pest problems except for root rot problems when kept too wet. They do not require extensive fertilization, nor do they require regular spraying for pests. They are excellent choices for the garden where minimum water and/or care is needed.

Agaves

Cacti

Succulents

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