<div class="mobileonly">{{relevant tutorial|Cactus farming}}</div>
{{Infobox block
|image = Cactus.png
|imagecaption = {{JE}}
|image2 = Cactus BE.png
|image2caption = {{BE}}
|transparent=Yes
|light=No
|tool=any
|renewable=Yes
|stackable=Yes (64)
|flammable=No
|lavasusceptible=No
}}
<div class="nomobile">{{relevant tutorial|Cactus farming}}</div>
A '''cactus''' is a [[plant]] block that generates in [[desert]]s and [[badlands]], causes damage upon contact, and can destroy any [[item]].

== Obtaining ==
=== Breaking ===
A cactus can be mined by hand without taking damage. The [[tool]] used to mine the cactus does not affect mining speed.<ref>{{bug|MC-175179||Cactus blocks do not have an assigned tool}}</ref>
{{breaking row|horizontal=1|Cactus}}
When the spot a cactus is placed in becomes unsuitable, such as when a solid [[block]] is placed next to it or its supporting block is removed, the cactus block uproots and drops as an [[item (entity)|item]]. 

A cactus also removes and drops itself as an item if a [[piston]] tries to push it, or moves a block into its space. Trying to pull it with a sticky piston does nothing. 

Using a [[sign]] on the side of a cactus causes both the sign and the cactus to drop as items.

=== Natural generation ===
Cacti naturally occur in [[desert]] and [[badlands]] biomes (twice more common in desert than in badlands). They generate as one ({{frac|11|18}} chance), two ({{frac|5|18}} chance), or three ({{frac|2|18}} chance) blocks tall. Rarely [[#Heights|taller cacti]] can be found if generation chooses to generate another on top of one already generated (although not as commonly as [[sugar cane]]).

A [[potted cactus]] can also be found in an [[igloo]] with a basement.
Potted cacti and 3 block cactus can also be found in some desert village buildings.

Cacti also have a chance to generate in the entrance chamber of [[Trial Chambers]].

{{block distribution}}

=== Mob loot ===
[[Endermen]] can pick up cacti. When they die, they drop the cacti they're holding.

=== Generated loot ===
{{LootChestItem|cactus}}

=== Trading ===
[[Wandering trader]]s can sell a cactus for three [[emerald]]s.

== Usage ==
A cactus block may be placed only on [[sand]], [[red sand]], [[suspicious sand]], or another cactus block. A cactus breaks itself (and drops as an item) if any [[block]] with a solid [[material]], or [[lava]], occupies any of the 4 horizontally adjacent blocks. It also breaks if on the sand and the block above is [[water]] or lava.

When any [[entity]], including [[player]]s and [[mob]]s, touches a cactus, it deals {{hp|1}} [[damage]] every tick (although [[damage immunity]] reduces this to once every half-second). Damage from touching a cactus is reduced by [[armor]], but touching it also damages the armor. Mobs do not avoid cacti when they pathfind.

A cactus destroys any [[item]]s that come into contact with it, including other cactus in item form. [[Falling block]]s such as [[sand]] and [[gravel]] are not destroyed when falling onto cactus; instead, they are transformed into item form (as happens when it falls into any block with a hitbox that has a height less than 1, such as [[slab]]s). The item created in this case is sometimes (though not always) destroyed by the cactus. The conversion to an item applies even when the falling block is a cactus (which is possible with {{cmd|summon}}).<!-- example: /summon minecraft:falling_block ~4 ~4 ~ {BlockState:{Name:"minecraft:cactus"},Time:1} -->

When a [[minecart]] hits a cactus block, the minecart drops as an item and is often destroyed, although a [[hopper]] can pick it up faster.

A cactus can also be placed in a [[flower pot]], where it is rendered harmless.

A cactus (excluding its spikes) is {{frac|7|8}} of a block in width (the same as [[chest]]s) and a full block in height, however the [[Solid block|collision box]] is {{frac|15|16}} of a block high.

=== Farming ===
{{main|Tutorials/Cactus farming}}

Cacti naturally grow to a height of three blocks, adding a block of height when the top cactus block has received 16 random [[tick]]s (i.e. on average every 18 minutes<!-- Average 68.27 seconds/tick * 16 ticks/growth = 18.2 minutes -->, but the actual rate can vary widely). [[Bone meal]] does not work on cacti to speed their growth.<ref>{{bug|MC-73963||Can't use bone meal on cacti or sugar cane|WAI}}</ref><ref>{{bug|MCPE-73214||Cactus cannot be bone meal|WAI}}</ref>A cactus does not need [[light]] to grow and is non-flammable. If a cactus has space directly above it, it grows even if the newly-grown block would immediately break due to adjacent blocks.

=== Smelting ingredient ===
Cactus provides the highest [[smelting]] XP of any farmable block in ''Java Edition''. 
{{Smelting
|head=1
|showdescription=1
|Cactus
|Green Dye
|1
|description={{only|Java}}<ref name="MC-210211">{{bug|MC-210211||Smelting cactus gives too much experience since 1.13}}</ref>
}}
{{Smelting
|showdescription=1
|Cactus
|Green Dye
|0,2
|description={{only|Bedrock}}
|foot=1
}}

=== Breeding ===
Cacti can be used to breed [[camel]]s and reduce the remaining growth duration of baby camels by 10%. Camels also follow a player holding a cactus.

=== Composting ===
Placing a cactus into a [[composter]] has a 50% chance of raising the compost level by 1.

== Sounds ==
{{Sound table/Block/Wool}}

== Data values ==
=== ID ===
{{edition|java}}:
{{ID table
|edition=java
|showblocktags=y
|showforms=y
|generatetranslationkeys=y
|displayname=Cactus
|spritetype=block
|nameid=cactus
|blocktags=enderman_holdable
|foot=1}}

{{edition|bedrock}}:
{{ID table
|edition=bedrock
|shownumericids=y
|showforms=y
|generatetranslationkeys=y
|displayname=Cactus
|spritetype=block
|nameid=cactus
|id=81
|foot=1}}

=== Block states ===
{{see also|Block states}}
{{/BS}}

== History ==
{{HistoryTable
|{{HistoryLine|java alpha}}
|{{HistoryLine||v1.0.6|[[File:Cactus JE1.png|32px]] Added cacti. It currently renders as a full [[block]].
|[[File:Cactus (item) JE1.png|32px]] The cactus [[inventory]] texture uses its side texture on all sides.
|[[Player]] receives {{hp|1}} damage when <u>punching them</u>, <u>right clicking on them</u>, or <u>making steps on them</u>.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v1.0.11|Cacti can now be placed only on [[sand]], and now have the requirement that the space around it has to be empty. Previously, cacti could be placed to form a [[damage|damaging]] floor: both [[player]]s and [[mob]]s would take half a heart of [[damage]] when they walk on a cactus block. This made it useful for traps, such as a hallway with a cactus block floor that would kill all mobs that walked on it.
|Collecting cacti no longer hurts the [[player]].
|[[File:Cactus JE2 BE1.png|32px]] The [[model]] and texture have been updated to have spines around the [[block]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||v1.0.14|Cactus blocks now can grow to a height of three blocks, allowing for farming. Prior to this update, cacti would not grow.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v1.2.0|dev=preview|Cacti now only generates in the new [[desert]] biome, instead of anywhere with sand.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java beta}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.2|Cactus can now be [[smelt]]ed, giving [[cactus green]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.8|dev=Pre-release|Cactus items are no longer slightly larger than other blocks when dropped.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.7.2|dev=13w36a|Cacti now generate in the new [[mesa]] biomes.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=13w39a|Added [[red sand]], which cactus can also grow on.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.9|dev=15w43a|A [[Flower Pot|potted]] cactus can now be found in the basement of the newly added [[igloo]].}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=15w49a|Cacti now break if adjacent to [[lava]], or if on [[sand]] and the [[block]] above is [[water]] or lava.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.13|dev=17w47a|Prior to [[1.13/Flattening|''The Flattening'']], this [[block]]'s numeral ID was 81.
|[[Banner]]s and [[sign]]s can be placed horizontally adjacent to cactus, immediately breaking the cactus. This action was historically disabled.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=18w06a|Cacti can no longer be [[smelt]]ed.<ref>{{bug|MC-124923||Smelting a cactus to produce cactus green doesn't work}}</ref>}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=18w14b|Cacti can be smelted again, now yielding 1 experience instead of 0.2 per smelting operation.<ref name="MC-210211"/>}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.14|dev=18w43a|[[File:Cactus JE3.png|32px]] The texture of cacti has been changed.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=18w44a|[[File:Cactus JE4.png|32px]] The texture of cacti has been changed, once again.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=18w50a|[[Flower Pot|Potted]] cacti can now be found in [[desert]] [[village]]s.
|Cacti items can now be found in [[chest]]s in desert village houses.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=19w03a|Placing a cactus into the new [[composter]] has a 20% chance of raising the compost level by 1.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=19w05a|Cacti now has a 50% chance of increasing the compost level in a composter by 1.
|Added [[wandering trader]]s, which sell cacti.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.20<br>(Experimental)|link=1.19.3|dev=22w42a|Cacti can now be used to breed [[camel]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.20|dev=23w14a|Cacti can now be planted on [[suspicious sand]].}}

|{{HistoryLine|pocket alpha}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.1.3|[[File:Cactus JE2 BE1.png|32px]] Added cacti.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.2.0|[[File:Cactus (inventory) BE1.png|32px]] Cacti are now available in the [[Creative inventory]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.4.0|[[File:Cactus JE2 BE1.png|32px]] Cacti now appear 3D in the [[inventory]] and when dropped; previously they used a completely 2D item texture like many other plants.
|Cacti now obey regular placement exceptions when being placed underwater or on [[snow]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.5.0|Cacti are now available from the [[nether reactor]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.8.0|dev=build 1|[[File:Cactus BE2.png|32px]] The top texture of cacti has been changed.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=build 4|[[File:Cactus JE2 BE1.png|32px]] The top texture of cacti has been reverted.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.9.0|dev=build 1|[[File:Cactus BE3.png|32px]] The model of cacti has been changed. The spines behind cacti now render regardless of where viewed from.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.12.1|dev=build 1|Cacti are no longer available from the nether reactor.}}
|{{HistoryLine|pocket}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.0.0|dev=alpha 0.17.0.1|[[Flower Pot|Potted]] cacti now generate in the basements of [[igloo]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine|bedrock}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.2.0|dev=beta 1.2.0.2|Cacti are now found inside [[bonus chest]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.10.0|dev=beta 1.10.0.3|[[File:Cactus BE4.png|32px]] The texture of cacti has been changed.
|A 3 [[block]] tall cactus and potted cactus now generates in new [[desert]] [[village]] houses.
|Cacti can now be [[trading|bought]] from [[wandering trader]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.11.0|dev=beta 1.11.0.1|Cacti can now be found desert village house [[chest]]s.
|Cactus can now be used to fill [[composter]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.16.0|dev=beta 1.15.0.51|Cactus once again deals damage to mobs and items standing on top of it.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.20<br>(Experimental)|link=Bedrock Edition 1.19.50|dev=Preview 1.19.50.21|Cacti can now be used to breed [[camel]]s.}}

|{{HistoryLine|console}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU1|xbone=CU1|ps3=1.00|psvita=1.00|ps4=1.00|wiiu=Patch 1|switch=1.0.1|[[File:Cactus JE2 BE1.png|32px]] Added cacti.}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU31|xbone=CU19|ps3=1.22|psvita=1.22|ps4=1.22|wiiu=Patch 3|switch=1.0.1|Cacti now generate in the new [[mesa]] biomes.|Added [[red sand]], which cactus can also grow on.}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU43|xbone=CU33|ps3=1.36|psvita=1.36|ps4=1.36|wiiu=Patch 13|switch=1.0.1|A [[Flower Pot|potted]] cactus can now be found in the basement of the newly added [[igloo]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=none|xbone=none|ps3=none|psvita=none|ps4=1.90|wiiu=none|switch=none|[[File:Cactus JE4.png|32px]] The texture of cacti has been changed.}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=none|xbone=none|ps3=none|psvita=none|ps4=1.91|wiiu=none|switch=none|Added [[wandering trader]]s, which sell cacti.}}

|{{HistoryLine|New 3DS}}
|{{HistoryLine||0.1.0|[[File:Cactus JE2 BE1.png|32px]] Added cacti.}}
}}

<gallery>
Oversized items.png|Until [[Beta 1.8]], cacti were somewhat larger than other [[block]]s when [[drop]]ped.
Grass cactus.png|In older versions, [[endermen]] could place cacti on any block.
Lava cactus.png|A cactus can survive in unusual locations using {{cmd|setblock}}). However, this no longer works since [[1.16]].{{verify|so this was a change for both java and bedrock at the same time?}}
</gallery>

== Issues ==
{{issue list|Cactus|Cacti}}

== Trivia ==
* Cacti can be placed [[water|underwater]], provided they are placed on [[sand]], and they grow if they break the surface.
* Cacti can be placed next to [[sapling]]s, but the cactus breaks when the [[tree]] grows.
* [[Endermen]] could move and place cacti. Thus, they can increase the cactus population in [[desert]]s by moving cactus blocks as they grow.
* [[Sign]]s can be placed on top of cacti. Paintings can also be placed on the sides of cacti, creating a nasty trap for anyone that tries to go through paintings.
* It is possible for cacti to generate on blocks other than sand due to [[generated structures|terrain generation]]; refer to the gallery for examples.
* Cactus can be used in the desert to see if the [[player]] is in a newly generated area. If most of the cacti around the player is only one block high, then it is most likely new land.
* Dying from touching a cactus displays "[playername] was pricked to death" in the chat messages.
* [[Block]]s can be placed on top of a cactus, including other cactus blocks.
* It is possible to place [[redstone]] next to a cactus block without destroying it.
* A 20 block tall cactus can be found on the seed 43931985876593125 at coordinates (-9711824 , ~ , 7726416) and more recently a 22 block tall one on seed 11343195073417814 at coordinates (14955936 , ~ , -3750655) and even a 23 block tall one on the seed 184693195438010998 and coordinates (16274576 ~ 10230656). All these seeds, found by the Minecraft@home research project, work on Java Edition 1.14.4.<ref> https://twitter.com/minecraftathome/status/1275401340731232256</ref>
* Top snow can be placed next to cacti without breaking the cacti, no matter how many top snow layers stack.

== Gallery ==
=== Screenshots ===
<gallery>
Cactus Near Snow.png|Naturally generated cacti.
Common Cacti.png|Naturally occurring cacti in a badlands biome.
Cactus underside.png|The bottom of a cactus seen with the "floating cactus" bug.
Floating cacti.png|Cacti floating in village garden.
Cactus Perimeter.jpg|A village surrounded by cacti.
Babycactus.png|A natural one block tall cactus.
Kidcactus.png|A natural two block tall cactus.
4blocktallcactus.png|A naturally occurring unusual four-block tall cactus.
Pentacactus.png|A natural five block tall cactus.
Tall Cactus.jpg|Another five block cactus.
6blocktallcactus.png|A naturally occurring rare six-block tall cactus.
8blocktallcactus.png|A natural eight block tall cactus, extremely rare.
12 Tall Cactus.jpg|A twelve-block tall cactus, extraordinarily rare.
19blocktallcactus1.png|A natural nineteen-block tall cactus.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/minecraftseeds/comments/g7u4ld/a_year_of_brute_force_work_to_find_a_19_tall/</ref>
20BlockCactus.png|A natural twenty block tall cactus.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/minecraftseeds/comments/henko3/recordbreaking_20_block_tall_cactus_found_by/</ref>
22block cactus.png|A natural twenty-two block tall cactus, the second tallest known cactus.<ref>https://minecraftathome.com/minecrafthome/forum_thread.php?id=4</ref>
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/block-week-cactus Block of the Week: Cactus] – Minecraft.net on February 10, 2017

== Navigation ==
{{Navbox blocks|vegetation}}

[[Category:Plants]]
[[Category:Natural blocks]]
[[Category:Generated structure blocks]]
[[Category:Hazardous blocks]]

[[cs:Kaktus]]
[[de:Kaktus]]
[[es:Cactus]]
[[fr:Cactus]]
[[hu:Kaktusz]]
[[it:Cactus]]
[[ja:サボテン]]
[[ko:선인장]]
[[lzh:仙人掌]]
[[nl:Cactus]]
[[pl:Kaktus]]
[[pt:Cacto]]
[[ru:Кактус]]
[[th:กระบองเพชร]]
[[uk:Кактус]]
[[zh:仙人掌]]
