Purple Cactus varieties aren’t precisely rare however are positively unique enough to grab one’s attention.
If you’ve got a hankering for growing Purple Cactus, the following list can get you started. Some have purple pads, whereas others have vibrant purple flowers.
Whether you’re searching for purple cactus for an upcoming event or for maybe for a ‘Gothic’ garden theme, or just to put in a very in a garden, you won’t come up short with all the alternatives that are available to us.
Succulents come in a range of shapes, sizes, textures, and colors, and purple succulents are just one of them. Purple cacti are very popular not only because they’re attractive but also because they’re versatile.
Purple cactus look nice in container gardens and when planted in the ground. They honestly add a vibrancy of color to your garden space. Below are the top purple succulents and cacti to decide on from.
Echeverias are one of the best selections if you’re searching for succulents in the purple hues. Echeverias have a good choice of pink succulents to choose from.
Types of Purple Cactus
Growing purple cactus may be a fun endeavor and the caring routine will depend on the variability you decide on to grow. Below you’ll notice some well-liked cacti that are purple:
Purple Prickly Pear (Opuntia macrocentra)
Purple cactus varieties are unique, and it is just one of the few varieties that produce purple pigment within the pads. The striking color becomes even deeper during times of dry weather.
Flowers of this Purple Prickly Pear Cactus, which seem in late spring, are yellow with reddish centers. This cactus is also called the Redeye prickly pear or Black-spined prickly pear.
Santa Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia violacea)
when it comes to Purple Cactus, this lovely specimen is one of the prettiest to opt for. Also called the violet prickly pear, Santa Rita prickly pear displays pads of rich purple or reddish-pink.
Watch for yellow or red flowers in the spring season, followed by a reddish fruit in the summers. These Purple Cactus plants willows grow as massive as 6 ft. X 6 ft., however, are often pruned by gardeners to take care of a smaller size.
Pruning is finished carefully, by creating pruning cuts at the junction where the pads connect.
Beaver Tail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris)
The paddle-shaped leaves of beavertail Purple Prickly Pear Cactus are bluish-grey, usually with a pale purple tint. The flowers could also be purple, red, or pink, and the fruit is yellow.
Strawberry hedgehog (Echinocereus engelmannii)
This can be a pretty, cluster forming of Purple Cactus with purple flowers or shades of bright magenta funnel-shaped blooms.
The spiny fruit of the strawberry hedgehog of the variety of Purple Cactus emerges into a green pigmentation, then gradually turns pink as it starts riping.
Catclaws (Ancistrocactus uncinatus)
Also called Turk’s head, Texas hedgehog, or brown-flowered hedgehog, Catclaws displays blooms of deep brownish-purple or dark reddish-pink. These too are cacti varieties of the Purple Cactus.
Old Man Opuntia (Austrocylindropuntia vestita)
The Purple Cactus variety of Old Man Opuntia is known for its attention-grabbing, beard-like “fur.” when conditions are excellent, beautiful red or pinkish-purple blooms appear at the top of the stems.
Old Lady Cactus (Mammillaria hahniana)
This attention-grabbing very little mammillaria cactus develops a crown of little purple or pink flowers in spring and summer.
The old lady cactus, a form of powder puff cactus, is roofed with spines and white down, hence its name. This easy-to-grow plant may be a great choice for a beginner if you love Purple Cactus.
The stems of old lady cactus are coated with white fuzzy hair-like spines, therefore the weird name.
Reason for Cactus turning purple
There are many reasons why your cactus could be turning purple. Some types of cactus turn purple naturally, however, the changing color can also be your plant’s way of telling you that something is wrong.
It’s important to work out why your cactus is turning purple so that you’ll be able to give it what it needs to thrive.
Cacti sometimes turn purple as a response to environmental stress. This purple color appears due to many things like – an excessive amount of sunlight, temperature issues, root rot, nutritional problems, crowded roots, and cactus cysts.
It’s also possible that your plant is perfectly fine, and is simply adapting to the new conditions. A modification in color becomes a cause for concern if many of your cactus’ leaves are perceptibly purple.
Other signs of a tangle include wilting, stunted growth, or soggy foliage. It’s important to see the reason for the color change to see if your plant is in any kind of danger.
Apart from being colored naturally, sometimes cacti do change colors when they experience stress. Cacti contain a purple pigment known as betalain, which they produce in response to a lot of stress
Purple Cactus Fruits
The Purple Cactus fruit, sometimes known as “Prickly Pears” is very sweet and should be eaten raw, right off of the plant. Depending on the amount of ripeness, they can vary from slightly sweet to syrupy sweet.
Every year at the time of summer in South-Central Texas, Mother Nature reveals her country colors through prickly Purple Cactus pears.
As the official state plant of Texas, prickly pear cacti are a regular sight, however looking their fruit, known as tunas, turn purple could also be an indication of the shifting seasons.
(While the prickly pear cactus grows prolifically in deserts across the Southwest, numerous species of prickly pear cacti also can be found across the Deep South, from South Carolina to Florida and Mississippi.)
Purple Moon Cactus
Also referred to as chin cactus, the moon cactus varies in size, shape, and color. A popular variety is a hibotan cactus.
Purple Moon Cactus may be a popular addition to a succulent garden because of its bright color. The hybrid plant is actually two kinds of cacti grafted together, and their lifespans are short compared to other species.
It originated in South America and comes in bright reds, pinks, yellows, and oranges. These small plants thrive on window sills that get partial light.
Prickly pear cactus purple
The prickly pear cactus is a genus that is very popular in drought-prone areas.
Some common variations are the beavertail prickly pear and therefore the Indian fig prickly pear.
The prickly pear does well in backyards but sheds its spines, so might not be for everybody. This cactus produces yellow, red, or purple flowers.
MAINTENANCE: Prickly pear is totally a low-maintenance plant. I forever use tongs to pick up the pads that I actually have pruned, otherwise, you can use newspapers.
Although they’re incredibly drought-tolerant, watering once a month throughout the hot summer months, in the absence of rain, is getting to be appreciated and may improve the looks of your prickly pear. Shriveled pads indicate acute drought stress.
Many people believe that the looks of white, cotton-like areas on the pads may be a sign of a fungal infection. However, it’s caused by a little insect that secretes the white cottony mass, known as the cochineal scale.
Control is simple – simply spray off it with a powerful jet of water from the pipe – that’s it!
Why do cacti turn purple?
The purple color in cacti causes by cool and dry conditions. The flowers turning into purple color is the plant’s way of responding to environmental stress. Succulents, agave, and aloe varieties conjointly turn cherry-red, burgundy, or purple to stress exposed to worry.
Whether this means a standard part of the life cycle or a cry for help depends on the severity of the stress.
Why is my Christmas cactus turning purple?
Sometimes a purple tint in Christmas cactus leaves is normal. That said, if it’s perceptibly throughout the leaves, it may signal difficulty with your plant.
Below are the foremost common reasons for leaves changing into red or purple on Christmas cacti:
Nutritional problems – If you don’t fertilize your Christmas cactus frequently, the plant may be lacking the mandatory nutrients. Feed the plant monthly from spring till mid-autumn with an all-purpose fertilizer for indoor plants.
Also, because Christmas cacti need a lot of magnesium than most plants, it usually helps to provide a supplemental feeding of 1 teaspoon (5 ml.) of Epsom salts dissolved in one gallon of water.
Apply the mixture once every month throughout spring and summer, but don’t use the Epsom salt mixture the same week you apply regular plant fertilizer.
Crowded roots – If your Christmas cactus is rootbound, it should not be absorbing nutrients effectively. This can be a possible reason for reddish-purple Christmas cactus purple leaves.
Keep in mind, however, that Christmas cactus thrives with crowded roots, so don’t repot unless your plant has been within the same container for a minimum of 2 or 3 years.
If you determine that the plant is rootbound, repotting the Christmas cactus is best done in spring.
Move the plant to a container full of a well-drained potting mix such as regular potting soil mixed with perlite or sand. The pot should be only 1 size larger.
Too Much Sunlight– although cacti evolved to do well in bright daylight, the one you have got at home might be having trouble adjusting. Usually, Store-bought cacti have been grown under a shade in a greenhouse.
This implies that they aren’t accustomed to so much direct daylight. Cacti need bright light, however, it’s best for the sunshine to be indirect and dispersed. Suddenly exposing a cactus to bright light will scorch its skin, causing it to turn a purplish-red color.
If your cactus is new, or if you’ve got recently moved it to a sunnier spot, there’s a good probability that it’s sunburnt.
Temperature Issues– Purple leaf is a symptom of temperature-related stress. Due to overheating of roots sometimes cactus turn reddish-purple.
Cacti can even turn purple when they get too cold. If the plant is suffering freeze harm, its cells burst and it’s now not able to hold liquid.
Root Rot– Purple leaves may also be a symptom of root rot, which ends up with overwatering and poor drainage.
If the soil stays wet for too long, your plant’s roots can die and can be unable to take in any more water and nutrients like magnesium. As a result, the cactus may turn into purple color.
Cactus Cyst– A purple cactus could even be a symptom of an infection. There’s a chance that your plant is infected with a microorganism called Cactodera cacti, usually known as a cactus cyst.
Reddish-purple leaves, as well as stunted growth and wilting, are all attainable signs of infection. The foremost obvious sign of the cactus cyst, however, is little white spheres that appear on the plant’s roots.
Christmas cactus purple leaves
With proper care, the intense pink blooms of a Christmas cactus will return year after year during the vacation season. A Christmas cactus prefers a moist climate and requires more watering than other types.
When Easter or Christmas cactus comes into bloom, you must see an array of vibrant pinks and reds! However, if you notice the Christmas cactus leaves turning purple on the sides, then your plant is trying to inform you that something is wrong.
- Nutrition
- Crowded roots
- Location
Care of purple cactus
Outdoors, cactus is growing in containers on a sunny deck, patio, or balcony. They thrive in heat and want containers that have drainage holes.
If cacti are hardy for your landscape, select a well-drained spot, just like the top of a sunny slope or a rock garden. Do not plant cacti where they will stay wet for extended periods.
- These types of attractive Purple online very easily and quickly, mainly in Amazon.
Conclusion
We have discussed all the common reasons you are asking yourself ‘why is my cactus turning purple?
Looking forward to seeing your wonderful plant bloom into gorgeous pinks and reds is great, so we understand why you might feel deflated if you notice your cactus leaves turning purple around the edges.
We hope that you have learned something today and now have an idea of what is causing this to happen. To quickly recap, the main three reasons why your cactus is turning purple and wilting are the Nutrition effect, Location, and Crowded roots.
Hopefully, you have found guidance in one of these three sections and can now work on getting your cactus back into a healthy condition, ready for the festive season. Purple cacti are so much attractive and versatile.