Cactus Meaning

Looking at cactus spawns inspiration and helps you see life in a better perspective.

Even there’s no drop of water in sight and amidst the excruciating heat (or freezing cold), the cactus endures. 

Apart from endurance, cactus also means bravery, warmth, affection, grandeur and even a mother’s unconditional and undying love to her children.  In herb and plant magic, cactus is regarded as a form of protection as well as chastity.

• Name:  Cactus
• Color:  The color of cactus flowers depends on the species of the cactus.  The flower can bloom out in white or yellow but there are some that comes out in purple and reddish hues.
• Shape: Just like the variety in color, the cactus flower can also differ from each other in shape.  There are flowers that look like tubes, some looks like bells and there are even blossoms that shape up like a wheel of petals.  There are also urn shaped varieties and bulb shaped types of cactus flowers.
• Fact:  Cactus is a plant that has thousands (actually over two thousand) of species that comes in a variety of forms, shapes and sizes. The tallest specie (Caldera Cacti found in Southwest of U.S.) can reach over 20 meter or about 66 feet high while the shortest specie (Rebutia Cacti) can be as short as just several centimeters.
• Poisonous:  None of them are poisonous – not even the Easter cactus, not the claw cactus which initially you might have imagined as toxic. Indeed, everyone is with a cactus or two in the backyard, but getting struck by its thorns can be irritatingly painful.
• Number of Petals:  Dozens.  Whether they’re petals and sepals or you’re talking about tepals because it is actually hard to know which is which, the cactus flower has a great number of petals on it.
• Victorian Interpretation:  Back in the day, there was a time that it was taboo to speak of your feelings directly to the person – so instead they say it with flowers.  Cactus plants are the perfect symbol for endurance as you can see it with the way they’re structured as well as with the way they live. So giving out cactus to the person you have strong feeling with means that what you have is a love that endures. 
• Blossom Time:  If you think that cactus plants look pretty boring, just wait for the spring and you’ll be proved wrong.  From a boring-look that is bare and all spikes, it can become vibrant and beautiful when spring is in full swing up to mid-summer.
• What the Cactus Means:  Endurance
• The Shape:  Cactus flowers come in different shapes.  You have funneled shaped flowers, bell shaped flowers, disk shaped flowers and wheel shaped flowers to name a few.
• Petals:  The number of petals greatly varies in numbers.
• Numerology:  In numerology, the cactus falls under the lucky number 4.  It’s about foundation, it’s about enclosure and it’s also about completion.
• Color:  It may come in a bright shade of yellow but it can also take on a pristine hue of white.  Others are bolder like purple and red and even magenta.

Superstitions: 

Essentially because of the thorns that cacti have, people don’t want to have these plants on their property.  Apart from it being a hazard, it’s also seen as bad luck.  On the upside, there are many positive beliefs about the cactus and its flowers.  It’s seen as a symbol of unconditional love because even in harsh conditions, it thrives.

Herbalism and Medicine:  

Cacti have always been looked at as a plant with a ton of medicinal value.  These days, it’s been found to have properties for fighting inflammation, tumors, ulcer and rheumatism.