Cactuses: A Superstition or a Symbol of Good Luck?
The belief that cactuses bring bad luck is largely a superstition and varies by culture. In some traditions, cactuses are thought to represent protection and resilience due to their ability to thrive in harsh conditions. In contrast, others might associate them with negative energy because of their spines, which can be seen as defensive or aggressive. Ultimately, whether you choose to have cactuses in your home should depend on your personal beliefs and preferences. Many people enjoy them for their unique appearance and low maintenance needs. If you like cactuses and they fit your aesthetic, there’s no reason to avoid them based on superstition!
Dispelling the Myth of Bad Luck
No, cactuses are not bad luck. That's just superstition and nothing else. The belief that a plant that emits oxygen and is crucial for conserving wastelands worldwide is inauspicious is absurd. I’ve been growing and collecting cacti for over 15 years now, and I can confidently say that my family and I have not suffered any bad luck because of cacti. Some people have been growing them for 40-50 years and attribute their happy lives to their hobby. Any plant you tend to will only give oxygen and positive energy in return.
Cacti are a popular choice for gardeners in other countries, but here, superstition is rooted so deep into every aspect of people's lives that doing anything new has some bad luck attached to it. It's high time we stop believing in such superstitious beliefs! Grow whatever you like in your garden and stay away from people who sell misinformation as part of their business. The Indian government is currently promoting cactus plantations in low irrigation areas to help treat degraded land. It is about time we also started questioning these old superstitions and embrace new opportunities without fear.
Personal Experience with Cactuses
The commercial cactuses I've bought always didn't last. I scored this variety from a house that was being demolished, and they've been bringing me good luck since the start. A great-looking flower!
My wife made it clear how much she adored them and mentioned the word divorce once if I wasn't able to keep the genes going. She jokes like that to let me know how serious she is. I took about twenty cuttings and tried different methods—rooting gel in soil, some without others in a humidity dome. However, they all failed. I was bound to live the single life until some stems, lazily in a bucket of water, began to grow roots and tiny buds. The beginning of new branches!
I didn't mess about with pots as I was afraid of not getting the watering right, so I simply stuck them in the ground. To my surprise and my wife's delight, they began to grow and thrive quite quickly.
Historical and Cultural Significance
The original tree in Max's yard came from the wilds of Mexico. They seem to thrive on neglect, which suits me as often with gardening, the more I try, the more I fail. I like to keep things simple, and they've responded accordingly. I've learned the reason I never had luck with store-bought ones is because they're grown out of season unnaturally indoors to make pretty flowers in time for Christmas. The shock of the real world generally kills them off here in Australia soon after. The one in my garden began to flower in mid-autumn and is still going strong now, with winter less than a month away.
I'm looking forward to taking more cuttings in the future now that I know how easy it is to gift them to friends and family. Although he's passed on now, I like to think that Max, the owner of the house from the 1970s, would be most happy that the plant he had from that era is still around, making people happy.
Let's stop believing in old superstitions and start embracing new horticultural opportunities. Cactuses can be a symbol of good luck if you choose to see it that way. Grow them, enjoy them, and let’s leave the myth of bad luck behind.