I think an Opuntia Rufida!!! They're great! Mine is in my window, i had it only a couple of months and it grew really quickly. You need to watch out for the "Glochids" though! They can really irritate your skin!

Or an Echinocactus Grusonii (Golden Barrell) IÂve just bought one and theyÂre really pretty! The detail on them is amazing!

Failing that a Hawthoria! CanÂt go wrong!

There arent really any cactus that like low light. The two succulents that can stand indirect sunlight are Gasteria and Haworthia. Even they need some sun. Cactus are full sun plants, the more the better, and the hairy ones need the most.

Jen

Epiphyllums, Schlumbergera and Rhipsalis will take lower light, but still need their fair amount. They need about the same light and care requirements as say a philo, but are cactus, and epies will bite depending upon the hybrid.

Here is a link that might be useful: epiphyllum info

I had a traumatic experience as a little kid with Opuntia (pickly-pear) glochids, and I hold grudges, so I don't recommend them.

It's true what everybody's been saying: you're not going to find many true cacti that can tolerate anything but direct sun in a south window for very long.

I have been forced, once, to keep a Haworthia in a north window for about a year and a half, though, and that worked out okay. There was also a pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli -- not a real cactus) in that same north window, and it persevered, though it also grew mostly sideways toward the window instead of up, and that eventually became a problem.

Hatiora salicornoides (drunkard's dream) is a true cactus that can handle a west window in my place, and they're very quick-growing and easy plants. I am especially fond of them because most of the plant will have no spines, and the spines that are present aren't strong enough to hurt.

If you want to talk cactus and cactus-like plants for an unobstructed south window, then I recommend:

Cereus peruvianus. I bought a couple of these about three years ago, when they were 17 inches tall (including the pots). They are now 61 inches tall and could probably take me in a fair fight. I think they're great plants.

Euphorbia grandicornis. This one has surprised me in a couple different ways, just since I bought it two weeks ago. The first surprise was that it wasn't Euphorbia ammak, the plant I had *intended* to get (but that was totally my fault for not being better educated). The second was that it started growing almost immediately after being put in the window. Most plants I've dealt with like a few weeks to get their bearings after a move, but this one has already put on an inch in two weeks.

Euphorbia enopla is another one that isn't an actual cactus, but it looks a lot like one. In fact, it looks a lot like a third-grader's drawing of a cactus. It starts out a lot smaller than E. grandicornis but is also willing to start growing right out of the box (literally -- I had one shipped to me in a box).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Pictures and more info:

Hatiora salicornioides: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/60992/

Euphorbia grandicornis: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/58081/

Cereus peruvianus: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54386/

Euphorbia enopla: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/60992/

I don't have a south window. Well I do put it has a giant front porch blocking all sun. It's north (east is blocked by trees and shrubs) or west. I may have to forgo the cactus then if they are designed for moderate to high light. I haven't looked at the suggestions yet but I will, I'm on my way to work now.

A bright west will do fine. Can you set plants outside in summer? Toni

I can put plants outside in the summer. I prefer to keep them on the southern porch, especially if they may come back in at any point. I'm a bit uncomfortable around bugs and often I let things die rather than risk letting bugs in the house.

I'm told a christmas cactus would do well. My sister has one growing in the dark almost. One thing about me is that I don't mind slow growth as long as the plant looks healthy. Some plants seem to adapt to low light by growing slow and others grow fast and die trying to reach the light.

I guess my first step is to write out the names of the suggestions and go to lowes and home depot to see what they have. Their cacti grow indoors in the same display that Wal-mart has so the selection is probably the same and I know none of the stores give them much light. Heck at lowes the display is backwards against the window blocking most light and at wal-mart it's inside in a dark corner. Of course what lives for weeks at a store may not live for long in the same conditions.

I was also going to suggest Euphorbia (most any kind) but Mr (interesting name!) Subjuctive already mentioned it, one of my fav's is E. Obesa - looks like a furry green baseball. Euphorbia's are a very large genus - over 2000 kinds (many sizes, shapes, and looks), they come from Africa and Madagascar. A lot of african succulents can tolerate indoor and lower light conditions more so than american cacti, they are also very interesting in shapes and growth habits, look up caudiciform for fun in google image - lol.

mkiker:

Just a heads-up -- I tried to e-mail you through GW, but that doesn't always work, so let me know if it doesn't reach you.

I didn't get an email, but I think Gardenweb doesn't like my email or vice versa. I miss some subscribed replies, some come late, or even out of order.

Well, if you don't get anything in a day or so, e-mail me directly (my address is public at the GW "e-mail me" page).