Are you looking for a cactus plant that bears pink flowers? We got you covered. Cacti with pink flowers aren’t hard to find. Upon doing research, we found different species of cacti that produce pink flowers – with Opuntia, or also known as the prickly pear cactus, as the most common one. To know more about these cacti that bloom with vibrant pink flowers, keep on reading.
Prickly Pear Cactus
The most common cactus that produces pink flowers is the prickly pear cactus. It starts to blossom from early June to September. These flowers come in vibrant pink blossoms but may also bear yellow, red, orange, white or purple. The flowers appear to have uniform-looking petals and sepals. The innermost part of each flower mostly comes with an orange smear. You can see these flowers grow on top of the cactus pads.
The prickly pear pink flowers later develop into edible fruits. These fruits, also called tunas, are cooked in various ways. This cactus is well-sought in Mexican cuisine as 95% of its production’s purpose is for domestic consumption. Each year, the country produces approximately 800,000 tons. In fact, this cactus has become Mexico’s well-known symbol.
Moon Cactus
Who isn’t fascinated by the moon cactus? This succulent needs to be grafted, usually to the stem of dragon fruit, and comes in different colors. Moon cactus bloom with vibrant pink flowers starting from March to June. Aside from pink, you can also see this cactus producing white, yellow and bright red flowers. The flowers grow up to four inches wide and come in funnel shapes. However, the flowers only live for 12 hours. Sometimes, the buds fall off from their scion before they even open.
As mentioned, moon cactus is known as a grafted plant. Since this plant alone doesn’t possess any chlorophyll or green pigments, it can’t photosynthesize to produce its own food and thus, can’t survive. Photosynthesis plays a vital role in a plant’s life. This process allows plants to produce glucose which supplies energy to plants necessary for their survival. This explains why moon cactus needs a graft host – which is usually a dragon fruit stem.
Star Rock Cactus
The star rock cactus derived its name from its appearance which looks like a star. This succulent from the cactus family produces pink flowers right from the youngest areoles found at the center of the plant. Areoles refer to the center of a plant where flowers, spines or new branches emerge. These flowers come in funnel shapes that grow between one to two inches in diameter. The flowers usually bloom from August to November. However, like other cacti, it comes in various species. This means, aside from pink flowers, this succulent also bears white, yellow or purple flowers.
A native of Texas and Mexico, the star rock cactus grows well in soil with a generous amount of limestone content. To encourage this succulent to bloom more pink flowers, place your plant in a place with direct morning sunlight. The temperature should range from 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with providing sunlight, make sure your star rock cactus gets enough watering. However, make sure that the soil is dry before watering it. Also, give your cactus a fertilizer rich in phosphorus as it supports transporting the energy throughout your cactus for effective blooming.
Dwarf Easter Cactus
The Dwarf Easter Cactus starts blooming between March and May. The buds begin to appear when the days become warmer and longer. After spring, move your succulent outside to locations with a generous amount of shade to encourage its blooming in the next year. On rare occasions, it flowers again from September to November or during the autumn. This cactus bears rich rose-pink flowers with a pleasant smell. The flowers have sizes between one to two inches in diameter and when the flowers come in mass, they look even more stunning.
Although related, the Dwarf Easter Cactus slightly differs from the regular Easter Cactus. As the name suggests, the Dwarf Easter Cactus come with smaller flowers and joints compared to the regular Easter Cactus. Also, you can more easily grow the regular Easter Cactus than its mini counterpart – which is the Dwarf Easter Cactus. While the Dwarf Easter Cactus becomes known for its pink flowers, the regular Easter Cactus flowers come in bright red color.
Dwarf Turk’s Cap Cactus
Known for its cephalium, the Dwarf Turk’s Cap Cactus blooms pink flowers. Cephalium refers to the cap-like feature of the succulent that sticks out on top and comes in red-orange or pink color. It doesn’t just offer a distinct look to the succulent but it has a purpose. This cephalium, commonly known as its cap, produces pink flowers that later develop into edible fruits with shapes that look like peppers. The flowers start to appear in July to August and the size reaches two inches long inside the mass of the succulent’s famous cap.
The Dwarf Turk’s Cap Cactus derives its name from its unique feature – its cap. The cap resembles the fez or hat worn by the Turkish people that can be traced back to during the Ottoman Empire. This cactus is challenging to grow because it requires specific care that is best left in the hands of experts.
The Dwarf Turk’s Cap Cactus requires a temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It won’t flourish well under minimum sunlight exposure, it requires direct sunlight for at least six hours. This succulent also needs plenty of water but not too much that it might cause the root to rot. However, growing this type of cactus feels rewarding once you see those vibrant pink flowers that give it a more attractive look.
Ball Cactus Flower
Ball cactus bears pink flowers from late June to September or during the summer. Aside from the pink color, the ball cactus flower comes in different colors such as red, orange or yellow. Let your succulent relish the winter period and stop watering it to stimulate better-blooming flowers. In addition, ensure your ball cactus gets fertilized during its growing season for better results.
Ball cactus has two types – both bear pink flowers. The first one is the powder puff cactus. The reason for its name comes from the fine hairs that cover its spines. Another type is called the golden ball cactus. As its name suggests, the golden ball cactus has a round shape with golden spines. The golden ball cactus reaches up to six feet when it matures.
Pink Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus blooms from November to January or during the fall season. Its flowers always come in shades of pink with shapes that look like tubes. The petals appear in a double-layer manner – the inner petals grow further up near the stamen while the outer petals come shorter and curl down to the base of the flower. The Christmas cactus blooming stage can reach up to eight weeks if the temperature maintains 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
To encourage your Christmas cactus to bloom, focus on the light and temperature you provide to your plant. Temperature-wise, place your plant in a cool environment not exceeding 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid putting your Christmas cactus in places with direct cold air or hot air. When it comes to light, the Christmas cactus needs an exposure of eight hours of light and 16 hours of darkness every day.
Take note that light and temperature are the key factors in hacking the blooming season of this plant – yes, you can trick your Christmas cactus to flower even outside its flowering season by mainly focusing on these two factors.
Pink Flower Hedgehog Cactus
The pink flower hedgehog cactus starts to bloom from March to June. Tepals refer to the outer part of the flower when it is not distinguishable if it is a petal or a sepal. The flowers appear anywhere from rose pink to magenta, and the tepals appear rose-pink to magenta. Each plant bears six to 10 large flowers. The flowers are funnel-shaped and grow on the upper part of the plant. They bloom during the day and close at night.
The pink flower hedgehog cactus’ name gets coined due to its short and spiny stems that look like a hedgehog. Just like any other cacti, it comes in varieties of species. Aside from its pink flowers, this cactus also comes in different colors like violet. Eventually, these pink flowers turn into edible fruits that appear spiny and red.
Walking Stick Cholla Cactus
The walking stick cholla cactus varies in colored flowers depending on its location. In Bandelier, New Mexico, the walking stick cholla always bears pink flowers. This cactus starts to bloom from April to June. It has small flowers with striking pink petals and a touch of magenta. These pink flowers come in bow shapes and range from two to three inches in diameter. Aside from the pink flowers, the walking stick cholla flowers come in a wide array of colors such as yellow, red or purple.
Many people convey a fascination with this walking stick cholla because of its unique features. It possesses arms that get detached easily from its main body. This cactus plant gets its reputation as the jumping cholla because of its segmented arms that easily stick to the clothes or skin of a passerby.
Pincushion Cactus
You can always find a pincushion cactus bloom with pink flowers since it’s the most common. It also bears white or striking reddish-orange flowers aside from pink. This cactus is a native of the Sonoran Desert, located in southern Arizona and a small area in southeastern California, but largely in Mexico.
Pincushion cactus blooms from May to August. One fascinating thing about the pincushion cactus flowers is that they grow around the cactus’ apex – forming a flower-crown-like appearance.
The pincushion cactus has a very spiny surface that entirely covers its surface – the reason why it is called that way. In other words, it looks like a cushion full of pins. When handling this cactus, it’s best to use gloves because this cactus possesses fine tiny spines that stick to your skin and are hard to remove.
This cactus remains small as it never grows more than six inches in height. If you want an indoor cactus that bears beautiful pink flowers, the pincushion cactus makes an ideal choice for its small size, aesthetic and low-maintenance. In keeping this cactus indoors, maintain a warm temperature between 60 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does a Cactus Have Pink Flowers or Yellow Flowers?
Cactus flowers come in an array of colors – that includes pink and yellow. However, the mentioned two colors are more common as you can easily spot different cacti that bear pink and yellow colors. Aside from pink and yellow, you can also find cactus that bears flowers in various colors such as red, orange and white.
What dictates the flower color is the plant’s DNA. For example, when a cactus produces a pink flower, the petals produce pigments that absorb pink light. This phenomenon happens when the DNA of the plant’s cell produces pigments of a specific color. To sum it up, the plant pigmentation and the genetics of the cactus species direct the color of the flower.
What Kind of Cactus has a Pink Flower?
Not all pink cactus flowers are the same kind. Cacti with pink flowers come in different species – chollas are an example. However, not all chollas bear pink flowers; the flowers come in a wide variety of colors too. The pincushion cactus is another kind of cactus that bears pink flowers.
How Do You Take Care of a Pink Flower Cactus?
Taking care of cactus with pink flowers is similar to other cacti with different flowers. Make sure the cactus grows on well-drained soil, provide enough sunlight exposure of at least eight hours, but do not overwater your cactus and keep the temperature between 60 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conclusion
Cacti with pink flowers are not rare to find. You only have to look for the right species as each species comes with flowers in different colors. These vibrant pink cactus flowers feel rewarding once in full bloom. Most importantly, pick a cactus that is suitable for your knowledge because not all cactus are the same in caring needs. Some cactus require special needs that might need more of an expert care.
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