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Normally, when one thinks of a cactus, cute and adorable are not really what comes to mind. But, stop by Cactus Cuties in Canton Marketplace and Angi Goodson, the owner and grower, might change that preconception. She’s been growing cacti and succulents for 2 years and it is obvious it’s a labor of love.

Angi was originally a junior high school teacher at a small Christian school and taught numerous subjects. She reached a point where she decided that she wanted to grow something. Everyone she knew was growing flowers and vegetables and she wanted to do something different. It was that desire that led her to acquire a cactus and succulent. She liked them so much, she went and purchased a few more.  

Through caring for the plants, she discovered that she “really enjoyed working in the dirt.”  “It was very therapeutic for me,” she explained. Eventually her collection of plants grew to be a little oversize. When asked how she wound up with so many, her answer with a laugh was “It was like tattoos!”

With so many cacti and succulents, Angi came to the conclusion that she needed to do something with them. Angi hails from Canton, TX, so she was very familiar with Canton First Monday Trade Days. With dozens of small plants and a vibrant place to market them as a neighbor, she acquired a booth in Canton Marketplace and set up shop.  

A favorite of hers

 “Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti,” she says.  

Succulents are known for their water storing ability. Medicinal aloe veras are examples of succulent plants that many of us are familiar with. Cacti have small, round structures called areoles from which spines, branches, hair, leaves and even flowers grow. If a succulent does not have areoles, it is not a cactus.

One of the reasons that she loves succulents so much is the fact that they can generate from pieces of themselves. A leaf can be pulled off a plant, placed in soil and, with time and the right conditions, a brand new plant will emerge. It’s easy to see how she wound up with so many plants given this characteristic. All the plants in her store have been propagated by her. She does not purchase any plants from other growers for resale. 

Her favorite succulent is a variety called Mother of Millions. This succulent, and another variety known as Mother of Thousands, both form little plantlets on themselves that eventually fall off and grow almost anywhere they land. 

Little plantlets waiting to drop

Angi has grown and named two of her plants. A succulent named Rosy and a cactus named Fred. Asked why she was selling them if she named them, “It’s to let someone else enjoy them.” They are both for sale as of this writing.  

Rosy                                                                                               Fred

Succulents are extremely easy to care for and can be grown inside or out. Obviously, they don’t require a lot of water and as a general rule don’t need to be fertilized. Like any other plant, however, they do require care and that care, and watering schedule, is normally different from the typical houseplant. 

If you really love the look of cacti, but need something that requires less care and attention, she also has a cactus for sale that is made from a pool noodle. She has left the naming of that one up to its new owner.  

You can find Cactus Cuties at Canton First Monday Trade Days in the Canton Marketplace. Stop by and tell her you saw her in the Canton Shopping Guide.