Cactus


 * For the version in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, see Cactus (PvZ: GW).

Cactus is a combative, projectile based plant that acts as the primary defense against Balloon Zombies. The Cactus could be inspired by any number of members of the genus Cactacae, but it most resembles a saguaro cactus (Carnegiea Gigantea), albeit with a red flower, instead of a white one.

Suburban Almanac entry
Cactus

Cactuses shoot spikes that can hit both ground and air targets.

Damage: normal Range: ground and air

She's prickly, sure, but Cactus' spikes belie a spongy heart filled with love and goodwill. She just wants to hug and be hugged. Most folks can't hang with that, but Cactus doesn't mind. She's been seeing an armadillo for a while and it really seems to be working out.

Cost: 125

Recharge: fast

Plant Food upgradeunposted almanac entry

 * Note: This is for Plants vs. Zombies: All Stars only.

Weakness Detection: Shoots some spikes to the enemy with the lowest health, and when that enemy's health is lower than 30%, it does 2.5x damage. It needs Brave Plant Food to be activated.

Usage
The Cactus is essentially a Peashooter that shoots spikes, with the distinction of being able to stretch up high vertically to pop Balloon Zombies. The damage it deals is the same amount as a Peashooter. Usually, they are only used in a level with Balloon Zombies in it, as they serve no other purpose.

Strategies
Cacti are best used in a column to keep the lawn safe from Balloon Zombies. They also make a good substitute for the Peashooter on any level Balloon Zombies could appear. Although the cost difference is negligible, as there is a disadvantage that if even a single Balloon Zombie comes into the lane, all of the Cacti will rise and fire at it. If there are no Balloon Zombies, however, the slightly more expensive cost makes Peashooters more useful, and Peashooters are affected by Torchwoods. It is cheaper in pool levels to use two Cattails instead of six Cacti. The Cactus is a good candidate for getting the Don't Pea in the Pool as an alternative to Peashooters, but Cabbage-pults and Kernel-pults are a good idea too, as they can attack Snorkel Zombies that are underwater and cost less sun.

Trivia

 * Cactus is one of the four plants in Plants vs. Zombies that are mentioned as female. The other three are Sunflower, Twin Sunflower, and Marigold.
 * It is the only female plant in the original Plants vs. Zombies to attack zombies.
 * If stretching, the Cactus has the height of a Tall-nut, and it can even block vaulting zombies if stretching at the right time.
 * Cactus, Cob Cannon, Cattail, and Sea-shroom are the only projectile-shooting plants having a projectile which has a color not similar to the plant's color.
 * Interestingly, the Cactus appears in the first trailer for the game and the very first screenshots, however, the Peashooter has less appearances.
 * Cactus cannot work on the slope except for the fifth row on roof levels. This is strange, because the Cactus can stretch to the height of a Tall-nut, but does not do that to shoot at approaching zombies on the roof, unless they are Balloon Zombies.
 * Cactus is the only plant that stretches in Plants vs. Zombies.
 * Cactus is one of the twelve plants that appear in the seed selection screen after you get the Grave Buster on the online version, the others being Ice-shroom, Lily Pad, Potato Mine, Threepeater, Tangle Kelp, Jalapeno, Spikeweed, Torchwood, Tall-nut, Doom-shroom, and Blover.
 * On the loading screen, its pollen balls are red, but during gameplay, they are yellow. In I, Zombie, its pollen balls are orange.
 * In Portal Combat, when a Cactus shoots a high spike, it will not float over a portal which is strange because the spikes seems to be high enough to pass over it.
 * Cactus has a narrower mouth than most other shooting plants.
 * In Cactus' online picture, it just shows its neck raising up.
 * Cactus, Tall-nut, and Garlic are the only plants that appear in I, Zombie but do not appear in the Endless level.
 * Cactus and the Cattail are the only Plants able to pop Balloons.
 * In Plants vs. Zombies: All Stars, it has dirt at the bottom, unlike the first game.
 * It is the first flower to attack zombies. The others are Snapdragon and Red Stinger.