The monkey tail cactus is a succulent found in the deserts of North America. It gets its name from the long, thin tail that protrudes from the top of the plant. The cactus has a round, globe-like body covered in short, spiny bristles. It ranges in color from light green to dark green, and it may have a reddish tinge. The monkey tail cactus thrives in warm, dry climates, and it does not require a lot of water or care. It is a popular choice for gardeners who want to add a bit of color and texture to their landscape.
So, what are some of the common types of monkey tail cactus? If you are looking to add a monkey tail cactus to your succulent collection, you need to know that there are over 30 different types of this cactus. Some of them include fringed money tail cactus, ghost monkey tail cactus, tuberous monkey tail cactus, fountain monkey tail cactus, and the globular monkey tail cactus. Others include ribbon monkey tail cactus, Aconcagua monkey tail cactus, prickly pear monkey tail cactus, and the San Pedro monkey tail cactus.
This blog post discusses the different types of monkey tail cactus, their native habitat, and other features that make each one of them unique from the rest. Read on to learn more.
Monkey Tail Cactus Overview
Before we take a closer look at the different types of monkey tail cactus, let’s take a quick overview of the plant.
The monkey tail cactus is a succulent found in the deserts of North America. It gets its name from the long, thin tail that protrudes from the top of the plant. The monkey tail cactus has a round, globe-like body covered in short, spiny bristles. It ranges in color from light green to dark green, and it may have a reddish tinge.
This cactus is a hardy plant that can survive in harsh conditions. It thrives in warm, dry climates, and only requires minimal care to thrive. The monkey tail cactus is a popular choice for gardeners who want to add a bit of color and texture to their landscape.
The succulent produces beautiful flowers that can be red, orange, yellow, or white. The flowers are relatively small and bloom in clusters.
Now that we have a general overview of the monkey tail cactus, let’s take a closer look at the different types of the cactus.
Types of Monkey Tail Cactus
There are several different types of monkey tail cactus, and each one has its own unique characteristics. Here are a few of the most common types of monkey tail cactus:
1. Globular Monkey Tail Cactus
The globular monkey tail cactus has a round body covered in short spines. It is mostly green but a few of its species have a reddish tinge.
It is mainly found in the southwestern United States since it thrives in hot, dry climates. The globular monkey tail has a short, stubby tail that protrudes from the top of the plant. Its stem is thick and sturdy, and it can grow up to 12 inches in height.
2. Fringed Monkey Tail Cactus
The fringed monkey tail cactus has a long, thin tail that protrudes from the top. It has a round, globe-like body that is covered in short spines. Its stem is mainly green and plays a critical role in photosynthesis.
It is mainly found in the southwestern United States since it thrives in hot, dry climates.
The fringed monkey tail cactus can grow up to 18 inches in height and has a slender stem. It is named for the fringe of long, thin spines that run along the length of its tail.
3. Prickly Pear Monkey Tail Cactus
The prickly pear monkey tail cactus is a hybrid of the globular monkey tail cactus and the prickly pear cactus. It has a round body that is covered in short spines. It ranges in color from light green to dark green.
It is mainly found in the southwestern United States since it thrives in relatively hot climates. The prickly pear monkey tail cactus has a short, stubby tail that protrudes from its top. Its stem is thick and sturdy, and it can grow up to 12 inches in height.
4. Ribbon Monkey Tail Cactus
The ribbon monkey tail cactus has long, thin stems covered in spines. It is mainly found in parts of North America that experience relatively hot and dry climates.
The ribbon monkey tail cactus can grow up to 24 inches in height and has a slender stem. It is named for the long, thin ribbons of spines that run along the length of its tail.
5. Fountain Monkey Tail Cactus
The mountain monkey tail cactus is a taller plant that can grow up to two feet tall. It has a thin, long tail that protrudes from the top of the plant. This type of monkey tail cactus is mostly found in the mountainous regions of the southwestern United States.
6. Aconcagua monkey tail cactus
The Aconcagua monkey tail cactus is a succulent that is native to parts of Argentina. It is found in the Andes Mountains at elevations of up to 10,000 feet. This cactus requires well-drained soil and full sun.
This type of monkey tail cactus is known for its bright red flowers and the long, tail-like protrusion. The Aconcagua monkey tail cactus can reach heights of up to four feet tall.
To cultivate the Aconcagua monkey tail cactus at home, you need to pay attention to the soil and watering needs. This cactus likes dry, well-drained soil and does not like to be over-watered.
7. Ghost Monkey Tail Cactus
Ghost monkey tail cactus is a succulent native to the Western Cape region of South Africa. It is found in the Cedarberg region. This cactus requires well-drained soil and exposure to full sun.
The cactus is known for its white flowers and the long, tail-like protrusion that gives it its name. The Ghost monkey tail cactus can reach heights of up to four feet tall.
To cultivate the Ghost monkey tail cactus at home, you need to pay attention to the light and watering needs. This cactus generally likes dry, well-drained soil that doesn’t hold water for too long.
8. Tuberous Monkey Tail Cactus
The tuberous monkey tail cactus has a large, globular body covered in short spines. Its stem is mainly green with faded shades of reddish color.
Tuberous monkey tail cactus thrives in the tropical climates of Central and South America. It has a thick stem that is covered in short spines and can grow up to 12 inches in height.
9. Hooiberg monkey tail cactus
Hooiberg monkey tail cactus is a succulent native to parts of the Island of Aruba It is mostly found on the slopes of the Hooiberg Mountain. This cactus requires well-drained soil and exposure to full sun for it to thrive.
It is mostly known for its purple flowers and the long, tail-like protrusion at the top of the plant. The Hooiberg monkey tail cactus can reach heights of up to 3 feet tall.
To cultivate the Hooiberg monkey tail cactus at home, you need to pay attention to soil, water, light, and temperature requirements. It generally does well in dry, well-drained soil and slightly higher temperatures.
10. San Pedro Monkey Tail Cactus
The San Pedro monkey tail cactus is a succulent native to Peru. It is found in the Andes Mountains at elevations of up to 10,000 feet.
The San Pedro monkey tail cactus is known for its bright red flowers. It grows relatively fast reaching heights of up to four feet tall.
The cactus does well in well-draining cactus soil that doesn’t hold water for too long. It also likes exposure to full sunlight and slightly higher temperatures.
So, if you are growing the cactus indoors, be sure to find the sunniest spot on a south-facing or west-facing windowsill.
11. Hedgehog Monkey Tail Cactus
Lastly, the hedgehog monkey tail cactus is native to parts of South Africa. It is found in the Langeberg Mountains. It requires relatively cool temperatures and moist soil to thrive in a home environment.
It produces yellow flowers and has a long, tail-like protrusion at its top. The Hedgehog monkey tail cactus can reach heights of up to four feet tall.
To cultivate the Hedgehog monkey tail cactus at home, you need to pay attention to the soil and watering needs. This cactus likes dry, well-drained soil and doesn’t like to be waterlogged.
Conclusion
There are different types of monkey tail cactus, and each one has its own unique characteristics.
The most common types of monkey tail cactus include the globular monkey tail cactus, the fringed monkey tail cactus, the prickly pear monkey tail cactus, and the ribbon monkey tail cactus.
The mountain monkey tail cactus is a relatively taller succulent that can grow up to 2 feet tall, while the tuberous monkey tail cactus has a large, spherical body.
Each type of monkey tail cactus thrives in different climates, so choosing the right one for your area is important.
Last update on 2023-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
