Not All Cacti Can Handle the Mojave Desert

Q. I have a cactus garden that faces west. Every summer I hang sheets on a clothesline to shade them so these cacti dont burn from the direct westerly sun and heat. The sheets get stuck in the cactus when the wind blows and pulls the small ones out of the ground. If I don't protect the cactus this year, will they die?

Some cacti like barrel cactus can handle the Mojave Desert environment with no problems as long as you don't water them too often. Photo taken at Las Vegas Springs Preserve.

A. It depends on the cactus and where it comes from. Many people don’t realize that not all cacti require the same type of environment. They are as individualistic as we are.

Watering a Joshua tree too often will kill it. It is a Yucca.

            Cacti are found in a variety of climates, from our harsh desert Southwest conditions, to shade-loving cacti to drought tolerant cacti that survive on moisture from ocean fogs. For this reason, some cacti may thrive in your Western exposure while others need protection.

This is Yucca pendula or soft Yucca and is native to the southeastern United States. It cannot handle intense sunlight so it should be planted in an area protected from strong sunlight in the afternoon.

             You should know by now which cacti are struggling and which are not. Yellowing or turning white on the west sides of these cacti is sunburn. Move these cacti to new locations with filtered light or an eastern exposure. They will recover. Leave the ones which seem to handle the intense sunlight, alone.

Watering a cactus too often or fertilizing it too frequently can cause it to grow faster than it can support itself.

            Learn their common and scientific names and where they come from. Sometimes the presence of a covering of dense spines or “fur” can provide a clue about their sensitivity to direct sunlight and their need for protection.