Landscaping and plants are an avocation of mine, so I feel very fortunate to live in a Mediterranean climate like San Diego where virtually anything will grow if we meet its water needs. Personally, I like a low water bill, so I specialize in low-water use plants such as cactus and succulents.

I know, I know. I said cactus and everyone went "Ouch!" Here's what's interesting, though. Everyone loves roses yet "every rose has its thorn" (with apologies to the Scorpions). There are many cactus species that do not have thorns, such as the bishop's cap (see Figure 1), or they have soft thorns that won't prick, or they have thorns that are covered with hair, such as the old man cactus (see Figure 2).

  Figure 1. Bishop's cap

  Figure 2. Old man cactus

There are cactus and succulent blossoms that can put to shame any orchird or rose, as long as you have an open mind, such as the two beauties in Figure 3 and Figure 4.

  Figure 3. 12" yellow succulent blossom

  Figure 4. 14" red succulent blossom

Additionally, orchid and rose leaves aren't extraordinarily exciting, and they do require a lot of care. It seems that with my cactus and succulents, the more I ignore them, the more beautiful they become and the more beautiful their blossoms. I particularly love succulents because it is one of the largest plant families and the variety of leaf colors and blossoms is tremendous. Check out the aenium flower spike in Figure 5 and the different leaf colors in Figure 6.

  Figure 5. Aeonium flower spike

  Figure 6. Three different aeonium leaf colors.

So even though you've probably been raised to stay away from cactus because of their thorns, give them a chance. If you just don't like thorns at all but do like that tropical look without the tropical water bill, give succulents a chance, although generally stay away from euphorbias, which includes your Christmas poinsettia, since their thick, white, milky sap is a skin irritant to a great majority of people.

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