This post contains affiliate links.
You may want to enjoy growing a cactus in your home but cannot do so with children or pets around as the spines could hurt them. If so, then perhaps a cactus without spines can be the answer.
There are many cacti without spines that can be touched without any harm to you. There are also many cacti with just soft looking tufts of fuzz called glochids; but don’t be fooled: most of them cause irritation to the skin and are often difficult to remove.
Cactus plants are wonderful plants to grow, but no one enjoys accidentally getting pricked by the spines. Fortunately, there are some types of cacti that are thornless and can be a good choice if you have children or pets around.
What Purpose Do Spines Serve and are There Cacti Without Spines?
Spines on cacti serve a useful purpose for the plant. They provide protection from predators; they serve to break up the air flow around the plant to prevent evaporation; they provide some shade from the sun, and they even help collect dew – every bit of water counts in the desert!
In contrast there are also some cactus plants that are completely spineless, some that don’t have sharp spines but just have tufts of fuzz, and then there are some that have spines that are soft and could be touched (if you are careful and do it the correct way).
There are many cactus plants that are considered spineless and we have several of them listed below.
Cacti Without Spines
The following cacti are spineless, most of which are tropical cacti from South America.
- Thanksgiving cactus, Schlumgera truncata, This is a tropical cactus native to Brazil. This cactus and the other tropical cacti are best known for their blooms. It generally blooms in November- December.
If you are interested in owning one, you can check it out on Amazon. - Christmas cactus, Schlumgera Buckleyi, Tropical cactus best known for its blooms. It unusually blooms in December.
- Easter cactus, Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri, Tropical cactus best known for its blooms. It generally blooms in spring.
- Orchid cactus, Epiphyllum, This tropical cactus is best known for its fragrant blooms.
- Mistletoe cactus, Rhipsalis Baccifera, A tropical cactus that looks best in a hanging basket. You can easily start this cactus from cuttings. I found these seeds on Amazon. These are red Mistletoe Cactus seeds.
- Bishop’s cap cactus, Astrophytum myriostigma, a desert cactus native to Mexico. This cactus grows in a star shape with five ribs. The overall shape is globular. It flowers in early spring.
If you would like to try your hand at raising one, you can pick this one up from Amazon to get started.
Note: For those who are interested in learning more about Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas cactus, we have some other articles (here and here) that goes into more detail about them and how to get them to bloom.
Cacti With Spines That Won’t Hurt You (If You’re Careful)
Most people think of the sharp needle-like spikes that most cacti have when they hear the word “spine”, but cacti spines come in different forms. Those tiny tufts of fuzz you see on many cacti are also a type of spine and they are called glochids.
Other cacti, like the Old man cactus, are covered in what looks like soft fuzzy hair. This too is another form of a spine though it can be considered spineless in some cases. Sometimes, there are sharp spines hidden under that soft fuzzy hair, so be aware of that when you are shopping for a spineless cactus.
The following cacti are mostly spineless, but may possibly still hurt you if you are not careful when handling them.
- Roadkill cactus, Consolea rubescens, This cactus is nearly spineless and has unusually flattened lobes, hence the name “roadkill cactus”.
- Spineless prickly pear, Opuntia ellisiana This cactus looks like the regular prickly pear but without the sharp spines. It does, however, have prickly glochids which can cause irritation.
- Mammillaria Hernandezii, a unusually beautiful cactus with spines that are curved backward towards the plant. This is a desert cactus native to Mexico.
- Liliput cactus, Blossfeldia Liliputiana, This is a native of South America and is the smallest of all cacti but grows in clusters. It is spineless with small tufts of wool.
- Fun fact: The liliput cactus is the only known cactus that can completely dry out and then completely rehydrate again when watered — and survive! http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/5701/Blossfeldia_liliputana
What Are Glochids? (Can You Touch Them?)
Glochids are the soft looking tufts of fuzz that you see on many cacti. Glochids are found on the cacti from the sub-family called Opuntioideae which includes cacti such as bunny ear cactus, and prickly pear cactus.
They are short, hair-like spines and can often be barbed at the ends. So, though they sometimes look soft and fuzzy, they are just another form of a spine and can cause irritation if touched.
What Are Hairy Cactus Plants? (Can You Touch Them?)
Some cacti are covered in what looks like wooly hair or cotton candy like fuzz; this is another modified form of a spine. One example is the old man cactus. Many of these can be touched without getting pricked. The only precaution here is that although you can touch the hair — there are often sharp spines hidden underneath that soft looking hair.
If you happen to hold an interest in learning more about the old man cactus which happens to have flowers that bloom at night, (believe it or not), feel free to check out our other article here.
This post was written for cactus-central.com and is not permitted to be used on other sites.
