the Difference Between Cactus and Succulent

A common misconception is that succulents are synonymous with cacti, but these two types of plants differ. Read about the Difference Between Cactus and Succulents in the following article.

As a first step in understanding the difference between cacti and succulents, it is essential to note that cactus is a botanical family of plants. In contrast, succulents are a broader group of plants belonging to various botanical families, including cacti. In other words, even though all cacti are succulents, some succulents are not cacti.

Now that this has been clarified let’s look at the differences between succulents and cacti.

What’s The Difference Between Succulents And Cacti?

We can simplify the concept by going over some differences.

blooming

Even though both succulents and cacti are capable of blooming, cactus plants have flowers that are brighter, larger in size, and have more complex structures than succulent flowers. Bees, butterflies, and bats pollinate cactus blooms. In contrast to succulent flowers, succulent flowers are small, simple, and pollinated by bees.

harvest fruits

Unlike succulents, cacti produce edible flowers – fruits. Examples include Prickly Pear, Dragon Fruit, Peruvian Apples, and many others.

Physical features

Cacti are characterized by small white bumps on their surface, known as areoles, which form the spine-like tips of the plant. Succulents have no areoles or spines.
There is also another difference between these botanical groups, which is the fact that cacti have fleshy stems where they store water and can carry out photosynthesis. At the same time, succulents maintain their water in their leaves, these leaves being another difference as the cactus hardly has any leaves at all.

propagation

Plants are propagated using a portion of their parents to grow new ones. It is a simple way for gardeners to expand their plant collections without buying new ones. Stems and leaves propagate succulents, while seeds and offsets propagate Cacti.

propagation

Plants are propagated using a portion of their parents to grow new ones. It is a simple way for gardeners to expand their plant collections without buying new ones. Stems and leaves propagate succulents, while seeds and offsets propagate Cacti.

regions

Non-cactus succulents are native to many regions, while cacti are almost exclusively native to the New World.

soil types

A cactus soil must be highly porous to allow water to pass through easily, which is why it can quickly dry out when wet. On the other hand, succulent soil is more compact; therefore, some plants with shallow roots may find it hard to thrive.

Similarities Between Succulents And Cacti

• A cactus and a succulent plant can survive and thrive in dry environments and adapt well to long periods of drought.
• Because of their unique appearance, succulents and cacti are considered ornamental plants.
• The roots of succulents and cacti both have shallow depths and stem with grooves.
• Both of them are capable of storing moisture, as well as containing thick, fleshy parts.
• Succulents and cacti are popular in home gardening due to their ease of care and maintenance.
• It is possible to grow them from seeds.
• The growth patterns of both of these plants are slow.