Do you love cactuses but hate being prickled by them? In this post, you will find a list of cacti without spines, and cacti with spines that won’t hurt as much as when handling. You will also find pictures of those spineless and fuzzy cacti, and their care requirements.
#1: Peyote, or Lophophora williamsii
Lophophora williamsii is an odd but cute looking globe-shaped spineless cactus. It often has a dip in the middle. They are rather easy to care for, and grow well as well as have strong roots. Peyote look like dumplings, and are even sometimes called ‘dumpling cacti’.
Its ribs are tuberous and plant is round and small. Their flowers are small and pink in color, emerging from the center of this cactus.
These cacti love warm weather, and bright light. Shade this cactus from very strong direct light though. In winter, if temperatures drop below 50 F (10 Celsius), take peyote indoors. They need dormancy period in winter, so water lightly only once in 5-6 weeks and keep in a dry cool place.
Lophophora williamsii often look great when growing collectively (they form clumps). Because this cactus is rather small in size, allowing them to grow with offsets makes them more aesthetically pleasing. They need well draining soil and ventilation.
It’s not recommended to keep peyote if you have children or pets that can eat the plant. That’s because it contains mescaline, causing hallucinogenic effects if ingested.
#2: Astrophytum myriostigma
Astrophytum myriostigma, also called Bishop’s cap, is a cactus without any spines. Myriostigma means ‘dotted’ – it indeed has lots of small white dots on the stem.
This cactus doesn’t have strong roots, and can be harder to cultivate, but is possible to grow on its own. For this reason, make sure to choose light and fast draining soil, and only water when soil is dry.
It starts flowering when reaching only around 3 inches (8 cm) in height. Their flowers are yellow and have a sweet scent. There is a very similar species to myriostigma in astrophytum genus – Astrophytum coahuilense.
This cactus loves bright but mostly shaded light, and needs winter dormancy. They are rather hardy, and can tolerate lower temperatures before you need to take them indoors, up to below freezing.
#3: Astrophytum asterias
Astrophytum asterias is another species of cacti in this genus, that doesn’t have any spines. This cactus is small, cute and globular in shape. Green-grayish in color. White dots in the middle of areoles make these cacti beautiful additions to any cacti collection.
Astrophytum asterias flowers are soft and yellow in color, reaching around 2.3 inches (6 cm) in diameter. Make sure to water them moderately, and choose a well draining soil. Allow winter dormancy.
#4: Mammillaria albiflora
Mammillaria albiflora is a small cactus that reaches only around 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. They produce white flowers with a yellow center. Prefers full sun and moderate watering. Their stems are also wrapped in radial spines.
When temperatures go down to 50 F (10 C), take this cactus indoors. Provide winter dormancy period.
#5: Mammillaria hernandezii
Mammillaria hernandezii are small globular cacti. While this cactus has spikes coming out of its areoles, they are woolly. Their flowers are pink in color.
Mammillaria hernandezii requires lots of bright light in summer and can even withstand full sun. Make sure to place outdoors or a bright windowsill in summer.
Water well in summer, around every 10-14 days, make sure to allow soil to semi-dry before watering again. When temperatures drop below 55 F (13 Celsius), take them indoors.
#6: Mammillaria herrerae
Mammillaria herrerae is a small globular cactus, which is covered in very small spines. However, the spines wrap the cactus, and don’t stick out, making handling much easier.
Mammillaria herrerae produce pinkish flowers, that are around 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. This cactus loves lots of sun exposure, and doesn’t like frost. When temperatures drop below 55 F (13 Celsius), take them indoors.
#7: Mammillaria humboldtii
Mammillaria humboldtii is a cute globular cactus that has lots of white spikes wrapped around itself. While it does have spikes, they don’t stick out, making handling easier.
This cactus produces beautiful pink flowers. Often this species also starts clumping, producing a beautiful set of these cacti. They prefer bright sun, but don’t leave it full sun all the time. Water carefully, making sure soil is dry first.
#8: Mammillaria lasiacantha
Mammillaria lasiacantha is another small globular cactus, which reaches only around 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. This cactus is wrapped with soft spines, that makes them easier to handle as well.
Make sure it gets lots of sun exposure in summer, and water as needed. Their flowers are white in color, with a red center. When temperatures go down to 50 F (10 C), take this cactus indoors.
#9: Mammillaria pectinifera
Mammillaria pectinifera is another small globular shaped cactus that is wrapped in small spines. It produces light pink flowers, blooming in mid-summer.
This cactus loves bright light, but make sure to shade from direct sunlight. When temperatures go down to 50 F (10 C), take this cactus indoors. Provide winter dormancy period.
#10: Mammillaria plumosa (feather cactus)
Mammillaria plumosa is a clustering globular cactus, and it clusters easily. Stem of this cactus can reach around 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter, and when forming clusters, can create a large set.
This cactus can tolerate full sun, so leaving outdoors in summer or on a bright windowsill indoors is preferred. Make sure not to overwater this cactus, and always check before watering again. Their flowers are white/yellowish in color.
When temperatures go down to 50 F (10 C), take this cactus indoors. Allow winter dormancy period.
#11: Mammillaria solisioides
Mammillaria solisioides is a small globular cactus that can reach around 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter. Rarely forms offsets, often growing on its own.
Their flowers are yellow in color. Mammillaria solisioides love full sun. Must be careful not to overwater this cactus, as they hate high humidity or water logging. When temperatures go down to 50 F (10 C), take this cactus indoors. Provide winter dormancy period.
#12: Opuntia aurea
Opuntia aurea is a beautiful opuntia cactus, which has padded leaves and little to no spines of their pads. They also produce flowers which can be yellow, pink and purple in color.
Opuntia aurea is a great outdoor spineless cactus plant. They can tolerate full sun and prefer moderate to well watering.
#13: Pachycereus marginatus
Pachycereus marginatus is great mostly spineless tall outdoors cactus. This cactus can reach around 10-16 feet tall (3-5 meters tall)! This cactus only has 4-7 ribs, and only couple of central spines and up to 6-9 radial spines.
#14: Echinopsis subdenudata “Tufty”
This cactus is a spineless hybrid from E. ancistrophora. This cactus is globular, and doesn’t have spines. Instead, it has white tufts of white cottony wool. It also produces white nocturnal flowers – which open up at night.
#15: Echinocereus triglochidiatus inermis
This cactus variation mostly lacks spines, however it does have some. This makes handling much easier.
This cactus produces red flowers, and needs full sun in summer to grow and flower. However, be careful with watering, and make sure soil drains well and is dry before watering.
This cactus needs winter dormancy period, can tolerate below freezing temperatures (so can leave outdoors if temperatures don’t drop below 23 F, or -5 C).
#16: Echinocereus rigidissimus
Echinocereus rigidissimus is an interesting cactus that is globular/cylindrical in shape depending on size. It can reach up to 1 feet high (30 cm) and often grows on its own without offsetting. Its spines are generally curved towards the stem, making handling a bit easier.
It is also called Rainbow cactus, as it has beautiful pink spines, which are often purple to color and then fade to lighter pink.
It also produces pink-purple flowers, blooming in summer. This cactus loves bright light and can tolerate full sun. But when temperatures go down to 50 F (10 C), take this cactus indoors.
#17: Echinocereus viereckii, variation morricalii
While this cactus has some spines, there are not many of them. These cacti’s stems are bright green in color. They are globular in shape, but with time, become rather columnar.
Echinocereus viereckii, var. morricalii produce rather large purple flowers of up to 3-4 inches (up to 10 cm) in diameter. The cactus itself will reach around 7-8 inches (18-20 cm) in height.
Water this cactus once in two weeks during growth period, and once in 5-6 weeks with little water during dormancy. Keep in a very well lit area, in a sunny spot.
#18: Rhipsalis cacti
Rhipsalis is a genus of tropical cacti, often called mistletoe cacti. Most cacti in the genus Rhipsalis don’t have a classic look of a cactus, and most lack spines. There are around 43 species of Rhipsalis cacti.
Almost all species in the Rhipsalis genus have stems that are slim and hanging. Their flowers are white in color, and they bloom during the day.
Because Rhipsalis are epiphytic cacti (growing on other plants and trees), they need bright, but somewhat shaded light. Any temperatures of above 77 F (25 C) might harm them, especially outdoors. They can tolerate bright and direct light, but not during the hottest hours of the day.
Also be careful with watering – make sure to water only when soil is dry. They do not like very wet soil. Most prefer warm temperatures, so take indoors if keeping outside, after temperatures drop to 50 F (10 C). They benefit from summer fertilization.
#19: Hatiora cacti
Hatiora is another genus of tropical cacti, which belongs to tribe Rhipsalideae (which also includes Christmas cactus, Rhipsalis and more).
These cacti also don’t have a classic look of a cactus. Most lack spines, and instead of one stem, produce many branches (which can be fragile). Their flowers are small, can be yellow or pink.
These cacti prefer bright but indirect light only, and moderate temperatures in summer of around 70 F (21 C). Watering must be moderate. Make sure soil is dry before watering.
#20: Epiphyllum cacti
Epiphyllum is a genus of epiphytic cacti that also don’t have a classic look of cacti and have no spikes. These cacti are freely branching and produce both flowers and fruit.
They produce beautiful and nicely smelling flowers that bloom at night. Their flowers are white in color and large, up to 8 inches long (around 20 cm). They prefer warmer temperatures (above 60F/15C) and good watering.
#21: Blossfeldia liliputana
Blossfeldia liliputana is a small globe-shaped cactus that has a short stem. These cacti don’t have any spikes, only white fluff coming out of their areoles.
Blossfeldia liliputana starts flowering when their stem’s diameter reaches around 1cm.
#22: Schlumbergera cacti
Schlumbergera is a genus of 6-9 cacti that are commonly known as Christmas or Thanksgiving cacti. These cacti don’t have spines.
Christmas cacti don’t like full sun and need bright, but filtered light to thrive. They bloom later in the year, which can be towards Thanksgiving or Christmas, hence the naming.
#23: Tacinga funalis
Tacinga funalis is a tall cactus that is good for outdoors – it can reach around 35 feet (11 meters) high! Stems of this cactus have white glochids, but no spikes.
This cactus requires lots of sun, but also a location where shade is available. Only grow in places where winters are not cold. Anything under 50 F (10 C) in winter, is not suitable for this cactus outdoors.