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Disocactus flagelliformis – Rattail Cactus Hanging Basket

Ed's Plant Shop

Size
$64.99
Taxes, discounts and shipping calculated at checkout.

Description

A Desert Beauty With Unforgettable Trailing Stems

Disocactus flagelliformis, commonly known as the Rattail Cactus, is a striking desert cactus prized for its long, rope-like stems that cascade dramatically over the edges of pots and hanging baskets. With its soft spines, thick cylindrical stems, and impressive trailing habit, this cactus brings sculptural desert charm to any bright indoor space.

Despite its exotic appearance, the Rattail Cactus is wonderfully easy to care for. Naturally growing as an epiphyte in rocky cliffside environments, it thrives in well-drained, airy substrates and requires far less water than typical tropical houseplants. Give it bright light, let it dry out between waterings, and it will reward you with vigorous growth and, when happy, spectacular pink tubular blooms reminiscent of a Christmas cactus flower.


Plant Profile

  • Botanical Name: Disocactus flagelliformis (syn. Aporocactus flagelliformis)
  • Common Names: Rattail Cactus, Rat Tail Cactus
  • Family: Cactaceae
  • Native Range: Mexico

How to Care for Rattail Cactus

  • Care Level: Moderate – easy once watered properly
  • Light: Bright light to full sun indoors; thrives in sunny windows
  • Water: Allow soil to dry between waterings; keep on the dry side to prevent rot
  • Humidity: Average household humidity
  • Temperature: 50–75°F
  • Feeding: Fertilize monthly with diluted cactus fertilizer during spring and summer
  • Propagation: Stem cuttings
  • Growth Habit: Long, trailing stems that can extend several feet
  • Pests: Watch for mealybugs and aphids
  • Toxicity: Toxic if ingested by pets or humans

Why You'll Love the Rattail Cactus

This visually dramatic cactus adds dynamic movement and an unmistakable desert aesthetic to your collection. Its resilience and drought tolerance make it ideal for plant parents who appreciate low-maintenance, high-impact plants. When given

Frequently Asked Questions

Shipping

How do you ship your plants?

We carefully package each plant with love by hand right from our shop in Brooklyn. Extra steps are taken to ensure that every leaf arrives in pristine shape by using polyfill and encapsulating the plant in a protective paper sleeve. The soil is also hydrated before shipping so that the plant has plenty of water for it's travel to your doorstep. We offer several shipping speeds, so please choose the one that you feel comfortable with depending on your location. 

Will my plant look like the one on the website?

Awesome question, we're glad you asked. Given the nature of our plant shop, we're constantly moving plants in and out of the shop, making it difficult and borderline impossible to keep an exact picture of each plant. In addition to the constantly rotating crop, we often grow in batches of 6, 12, or sometimes more! With this quantity we are unable to take a photo of each and every plant. The photos that we attach to each product listing is going to be of a plant that represents the average size and fullness of that set of plants. Some may be slightly larger or smaller, but in general, similar.

Do you include heat packs with your plants?

We offer Heat Packs for sale separately from the plants in 40, 60 and 72 hour increments. Please add a heat pack or two to your order if you live in an area where your order may be affected during transit by cold temperatures. We are not responsible for orders that are placed and damage is incurred to the plant if a heat pack is not purchased.

Which heat pack should I choose?

Heat packs come in three different increments, so please choose the appropriate hour increment depending on the speed of shipping that you choose during checkout. For example, if you choose a cheaper shipping option that will take longer, please select the 72 hour heat pack. If you've chosen a shorter method of shipping, the 40 or 60 hour increment would work! We like to encourage our customers to always get more than you need, just to be on the safe side!

How long will it take to receive my order?

Standard shipping normally takes 3-5 days. Next day shipping is available on all domestic orders (for an additional charge). International shipping times depend on the products and destination (estimated at checkout).

Do you offer express shipping?

All orders are shipped 5-8 business days from the date it is placed. Please note that as a small plant shop, we do everything in our power to get orders out as fast as we can in the order that they come in. If you have circumstances that require expedited fulfillment, please connect with you and we can potentially offer options. 

What countries do you ship to?

We ship our selection of rare, healthy, and unique houseplants all across the United States including California. At this time, due to customs and agricultural limitations, we are unable to ship plants internationally from the United States.

Returns and Refunds

How do I return a product?

Items must be returned within 30 days after receiving your order. Items must be returned in the same condition in which they were received, be unworn/unused, have any tags still attached, and include all the original packaging.

How long will it take to receive my refund?

Refunds are processed within 7 days from when we receive the item(s).

What should I do if my plant arrives in poor shape? 

In the extremely unlikely event that your plant arrives in less than perfect condition, you're covered by our 15-day plant health guarantee. Simply snap a photo of your plant and send it over to us. We'll happily take a peek and offer suggestions on how to perk it back up, offer a store credit, or send a replacement. We like to make it as easy as possible!

Can I return or exchange a plant?

At this time, we do not accept returns on plants. In extreme circumstances where a return of a plant is necessary, the customer is responsible for the return shipping and a refund will only be issued if the plant arrives back to us in living condition.