I’ve seen this claim pop up a few times lately-“all succulents are cacti”-and it’s worth unpacking because it’s a common mix-up that can lead to real care mishaps for indoor growers. Not true, folks. Cacti (family Cactaceae) are succulents, sure-they store water in thickened stems or pads to survive arid conditions. But succulents? That’s a broader life strategy, not a strict taxonomic group. Think Aloe vera, Echeveria, Jade plant (Crassula ovata), or Haworthia-they’re all succulents with water-storing tissues but belong to entirely different families (Asphodelaceae, Crassulaceae, etc.).
Evidence? Check any solid botany reference like the Royal Horticultural Society or USDA plant database. Cacti have areoles (those fuzzy spots where spines and flowers emerge), a defining trait absent in most other succulents. Watering a non-cactus succulent like it were a prickly pear? You’ll rot the roots fast.
What’s your take? Anyone got peer-reviewed studies or field observations claiming otherwise? Or real-world examples where the distinction didn’t matter for indoor success? Let’s debate with facts-I’ve got 15+ years growing both, and lumping them has killed more plants than forgetting to water.