Cacti are a fan favorite for a reason: they’re basically the ultimate low-maintenance roommates. But here’s the catch—that “set it and forget it” vibe usually only works if you don’t care about seeing them bloom. Getting a cactus to actually flower takes a lot of extra effort and specific conditions. If you want that pop of color without the headache, there’s a clever little shortcut: decorating your cactus with dried strawflowers.
The Garden Center Secret
You might have seen this trick at big-box garden centers. They often stick dried strawflowers onto cacti to trick shoppers into thinking the plant is in full bloom. The problem? They usually use hot glue to keep the “flowers” from falling off during the ride home, which can actually hurt the plant. If you do this at home, skip the glue! You can easily just nestle the dried blooms right onto the cactus spines.
When to Harvest Your Strawflowers
To get the best look for your cactus, you’ll need high-quality dried strawflowers. The secret is to harvest them early. While it’s tempting to let them reach full glory in your garden, fully opened flowers don’t dry well and tend to lose their vibrant color. Instead, snip them off just before the buds have completely opened. They’ll continue to open up naturally as they dry.
Drying: Solo or in Bunches
Once you’ve cut your flowers, it’s time to hang them up to dry. Since strawflowers have such sturdy, stiff heads, you don’t have to worry about hanging them individually—you can bundle them into small bouquets. There are two easy ways to hang them:
- Tie them up with a simple piece of twine.
- Use a needle and thread to string them together through the stems.
And hey, don’t feel limited to just strawflowers! Plenty of other dried botanicals look great on a cactus. Try using Chinese lanterns (Physalis) or even sprigs of dried lavender for a different look.