Some cacti to consider for your garden:
Mammillaria Small, round, or clustered plants; many have soft-looking spines and pretty flowers
Rebutia Compact and globe-shaped, with bright spring blooms
Gymnocalycium( chin cactus) Low-growing, ribbed cacti that tolerate indoor light well
Parodia( formerly Notocactus) Rounded forms with neat spines and cheerful yellow flowers
Astrophytum myriostigma Star-shaped cacti with attractive speckled patterns
Echinopsis( hedgehog cactus) Compact plants with large, showy flowers
Lophophora williamsii( peyote) Spineless, slow-growing, and ideal for tiny containers
Frailea Very small cacti that thrive in shallow pots
Coryphantha Similar to mammillaria but slightly larger, still suitable for small planters
Turbinicarpus Slow-growing and sculptural, perfect for minimalist arrangements
Gerald Filipski— Jerry, more commonly— has been the gardening columnist for the Edmonton Journal for over thirty-five years and has appeared in the Calgary Herald and other Canadian publications. Jerry has also authored Just Ask Jerry: Good Answers to Tough Canadian Gardening Questions.
SPRING 2026 | 15