Crested Cactus
Light
Crested cacti love direct light and can tolerate bright indirect light. They are a cactus, so you should never keep them in low light.
Water
You should let the soil dry out completely between watering. They are very easy to over water because they’re a cactus.
Climate
Your Crested Cactus will thrive in hot temperatures from 65-80°F. They are very different from most of your houseplants in the sense that they don’t want added humidity. In fact, they prefer dry air!
Soil
You should only pot your crested cactus in a well-draining cactus and succulent soil, and you can add vermiculite or pumice to the soil to really boost the drainage. You want to avoid using as a sandy base because it retains moisture.
Pests & Diseases
Like many other cacti, Crested Cacti are vulnerable to scale and root rot. Scale to some extent is not harmful to your plant, but it can quickly get out of control, so you can treat it with rubbing alcohol as soon as you notice it!
Tips
Keep them in full sun to keep them happy
Avoid repotting them for a while because they’re very slow growers! Repotting too soon will freak out their root systems!
Signs your plant is unhappy
Mushy base: over watered
Feels loose in the soil: cactus is not rooted in the soil anymore
Smelly cactus: root rot
Etiolated (skinny and pale): not enough light
Propagation
There is only one way to propagate a single stem cactus, and that’s by stem cutting. You should only do this with a healthy, well established cactus. A younger cactus will not survive this! Once you’ve taken the cutting, you can place it in a sunny location and leave it to callous over before potting.
Fun Facts
They grow in folds, which is what gives them their nickname!
They are super slow growers.
They are native to places like Aruba, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Venezuela!
Hardiness Zones
Cacti require very specific conditions to thrive outdoors, so you should always check your areas hardiness zone before placing them outside. They are drought tolerant but do not tolerate consistent rain or frost.
The hardiness zones for Crested Cacti are: 10-12
If you live in Tennessee, check out the hardiness map below to find out your area’s hardiness zone!
