Cactuses and other succulents are as varied in their needs as different types of landscape trees and shrubs. We can’t help but think of a cactus as just a cactus, but they are not all the same ...

Cactuses are native only to the Americas, having evolved 60 million years ago when upward-pushing mountains transformed the then-lush tropical climate of the western Americas to desert.

Hands off the cactuses Protected symbol: The cactus, particularly the majestic saguaro, has long been a symbol of the West. So if you’re in Arizona, don’t even think about digging one up.

Smaller cactuses can be added by making slits in the weed block. Avoid wood-based shredded or nugget mulches, which retain too much moisture. Gravel and stone mulches work best with succulents.

Cactuses, like other succulents, perform their respiration at night in order to conserve water. This means their stomata or pores remain closed during the day and then open at night when the ...

Christmas cactuses are not only easy and reliable to rebloom, but the plant will get larger and more spectacular each year. These wonderful, long-lived plants are even sometimes passed down from ...

Barrel cactuses are shielded from harmful ultraviolet rays at the Desert Botanical Garden. Some cactuses that are brought from other places need a little extra shade to thrive in the Phoenix summers.

So did all the torch cactuses around here, which are many as they are so easy to propagate. You may get two seasons of bloom as well, early summer and fall if conditions are right.

Q: I recently bought a 40-year-old home surrounded with cactuses, some common and some exotic. With much effort, I rehomed all of these big boys. But the front yard has an awesome focal-point, a ...

Dear Mr. Sun, why are there saguaro cactuses in Arizona but not in Nevada? They’re the desert. We’re the desert. Why no giant cowboy cacti here in Las Vegas? Las Vegas would seem a nurturing ...