- For other uses, see Cactus (disambiguation).
Cactus is a combative, projectile-based plant appearing in Plants vs. Zombies. She attacks by shooting spikes at zombies, being able to stretch herself to hit flying targets.
About
- For more information about this character, see Cactus.
Cactus costs 125 sun and is obtained before Level 4-3, which Balloon Zombies appear. Cactus attacks by shooting spikes at zombies, spikes fired by Cactus deal the same amount of damage as a Peashooter's pea.
This plant's distinction is the ability to stretch upwards vertically to pop their balloons, but the spikes being unaffected by Torchwood. The damage she deals is the same amount as a Peashooter.
Origins

Cactus could be inspired by any number of members of the genus Cactacae, but she most resembles a saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), albeit with a red flower instead of a white one.
Her ability to stretch herself to pop Balloon Zombies is a reference to how Cacti in real life can grow to be some of the tallest plants on earth.
Almanac entry
Strategies
Cactus's main role in the player's arsenal is to shoot down Balloon Zombies before they can get past through the defense, turning them into normal zombies that can be attacked by any other plants. While she will be sufficient in normal levels, the sheer amount of Balloon Zombies that can spawn in Survival Mode, plus its lackluster performance against other threats makes Cactus not a worthwhile choice later on.
Cactus also has to compete with Cattail, which can target zombies from any lane and deal twice as much as damage as the Cactus, but suffers from an aiming issue, as well as Blover, which can clear Balloon Zombies from all lanes and ward off the fog in Fog levels.
A column of Cacti should be planted to safeguard the player against potential Balloon Zombies. Cactus is also a possible candidate for getting the Don't Pea in the Pool achievement, but should not be used given her poor damage capability and the lack of Balloon Zombies in Pool levels - most lobber plants are much more suited for this task.
Related achievements
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Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Cactus.
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In other languages
Language | Name | Description |
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Cactus | ||
仙人掌 | ||
Traditional Chinese | 仙人掌 | |
Cactus | ||
Kaktee | ||
Cactus | ||
サボテン | ||
Cactus |
Trivia
- In Cactus's online Almanac picture, it just shows her neck rising up.
- If stretching, she will be equally the same height to a Tall-nut.
- However, she cannot block vaulting zombies even if she was stretching at the right time.
- She cannot work on the slope in Roof levels unless on the fifth column, despite being able to grow taller.
- She is one of the twelve plants that appear in the seed selection screen after the player gets the Grave Buster on the Web 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, her pollen balls are red, but during gameplay, they are yellow. In I, Zombie, her pollen balls are orange.
- In Portal Combat, Cacti in the lane of Balloon Zombies will attempt to fire at it even if the spike will go through a portal and end up in another lane. However, Cacti in other lanes that have a portal leading to the correct lane will also shoot at the Balloon Zombie.
- She, Tall-nut, and Garlic are the only plants that appear in I, Zombie, but do not appear in I, Zombie Endless.
- The plural form of Cactus is represented in-game as "Cactuses" rather than "Cacti."
- She is nicknamed "刺头" (lit. "spike head") in Plants vs. Zombies: Journey to the West.
See also
V · T · E | L · G |
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Plants vs. Zombies | |
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Day | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater |
Night | Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom |
Pool | Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut |
Fog | Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom |
Roof | Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult |
Upgrades | Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon |
Others | Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Giant Sunflower · Giant Marigold · Sprout · Tree of Wisdom |
Plants vs. Zombies: Journey to the West | |
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Heroes | Iron Man Nut · Monkey King Peashooter · Pig Squash · Nut Wujing · Monk Flower · Nezha Peashooter |
The Zombies Are Coming | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater |
Nightfall | Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom |
Backyard Emergency | Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut |
Fog | Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom |
Roof Battle | Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult |
Fight the Sea Demons | Oxygen Algae · Sea Starfruit · Bramble Sea Grass |
Brave the Dragon's Palace | Water Gun Grass |
Upgrades | Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon |
Others | Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Electric Anemone · Aggro Brocco · Pomegunate · Carrotillery · Oak Archer · Ghost Pepper · Laser Bean · Dandelion · Snapdragon · Bonk Choy |
Plants vs. Zombies: Social Edition | |
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Normal | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Chomper · Repeater · Puff-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Snow Pea · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Lily Pad · Squash · Spikeweed · Tangle Kelp · Torchwood · Sea-shroom · Jalapeno · Coffee Bean · Tall-nut · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom · Blover · Melon-pult · Cactus |
Premium | Pickled Pepper · Icy Fume-shroom · Fire-shroom · Flamewood · Vine-nut · Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Winter Melon · Super Chomper · Future Star · Calm Chuck |
Plants vs. Zombies Adventures | |
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>Normal | Peashooter · Sunflower · Aspearagus · Wall-nut · Cherry Bomb · Popcorn · Beet · Snow Pea · Jalapeño · Magnet Plant · Flaming Pea · Shamrock · Bamboo Shoot · Repeater · Chilly Pepper · Twin Sunflower |
VIPs | Sweet Pea · Beeshooter · Hard-nut · Acespearagus · Power Flower · Beetboxer · Ice Queen Pea · Shamrockstar · Bamboom |
Others | Trees |
Plants vs. Zombies 2 | |||||||||
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Player's House | Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Cabbage-pult | ||||||||
Ancient Egypt | Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower | ||||||||
Pirate Seas | Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Threepeater · Spikerock · Cherry Bomb | ||||||||
Wild West | Split Pea · Chili Bean · Pea Pod · Lightning Reed · Melon-pult · Tall-nut · Winter Melon | ||||||||
Frostbite Caves | Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rotobaga | ||||||||
Lost City | Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Endurian · Stallia · Gold Leaf | ||||||||
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip | ||||||||
Dark Ages | Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Magnet-shroom | ||||||||
Neon Mixtape Tour | Phat Beet · Celery Stalker · Thyme Warp · Garlic · Spore-shroom · Intensive Carrot | ||||||||
Jurassic Marsh | Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine | ||||||||
Big Wave Beach | Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Bowling Bulb · Guacodile · Banana Launcher | ||||||||
Modern Day | Moonflower · Nightshade · Shadow-shroom · Dusk Lobber · Grimrose | ||||||||
Premium |
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Others | Marigold |
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version) | |
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Ancient Egypt | Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Cabbage-pult · Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower · Snow Pea · Cherry Bomb · Torchwood |
Pirate Seas | Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Power Lily · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Spikerock · Lightning Reed · Tall-nut |
Wild West | Threepeater · Squash · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Jalapeno · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Winter Melon · Imitater |
Kongfu World | Radish · Fire Gourd · Heavenly Peach · Bamboo-shoot |
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip · Starfruit |
Dark Ages | Hypno-shroom · Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Pea-nut · Magnet-shroom · Oak Archer · Coffee Bean · Plantern |
Big Wave Beach | Acidic Citrus · Lotuspot · Lily Pad · Bowling Bulb · Banana Launcher · Guacodile · Tangle Kelp · Homing Thistle |
Frostbite Caves | Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rafflesia · Tornacorn |
Sky City | Rotobaga · Cycloque · Aspiragus · Saucer Squash · Board Beans · Lantern Cherry · Ampthurium · Spinnapple |
Lost City | Lava Guava · Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Stallia · Gold Leaf · Toadstool · Jackfruit |
Neon Mixtape Tour | MC Glory · Phat Beet · Thyme Warp · Celery Stalker · Spore-shroom · Garlic · Intensive Carrot · Cactus |
Jurassic Marsh | Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine · Primal Rafflesia · Dinonip · Thorns · Mastercane |
Modern Day | Shadow-shroom · Caulipower · Moonflower · Grimrose · Nightshade · Dusk Lobber · Blooming Heart |
Steam Ages | Gold Bloom · Flat-shroom · Passionflower · Lotus Root · Fanilla · Lily of Alchemy · Berry Blaster |
Renaissance Age |
Aloe · Kinnikannon · Wax Guard · Oil Olive · Ruby Red · Dartichoke |
Heian Age | Sumo Melon · Wasabi Whip · Auberninja · Dripphylleia · Splitting Stephania · Kunai Tupistra · Windbreak Dendrobium · Orchid Chef · Geisha Flower · Stickybomb Rice |
Fairytale Forest | Ents · Heath Seeker · Hat Mushroom |
Monthly special | Pyro-shroom · Carrotillery · Cryo-shroom · Dandelion · Aggro Brocco · Pomegunate · Chomper · Sweet Potato · Lord Bamboo · Sap-fling · Ghost Pepper · Chest-nut · Bambrook · Zorrose · Magic-shroom · Electric Blueberry · R.A.D Missiles · Endurian · Pumpkin Witch · Sunflower Singer · Snowy Cotton · Guerrequila · Monkeyfruit · Plumping Plummy · Dragonfruit · Angel Starfruit · Gatling Pea · Match Flower · Firebloom Queen · Cattail · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Shrinking Violet · Cob Cannon · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Escape Root · Electric Currant · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Trump Tulip · Banana Dancer · Dual Pistol Pinecone · Narcissus · Alarm Arrowhead · Holly Barrier · Shadow Peashooter · Snap Pea · Frostbloom Queen · Sling Pea · Zapdragon · Electrici-tea · Imp Pear · Strawburst · Egrett Flower · Goo Peashooter · Bud-minton · Curling Corms · Pokra · Dollarweed Drummer · Ultomato · Shadow Fanilla · Bromel Blade · Gumnut · Olive Pit · Nuclear Earthstar · Headbutter Lettuce · Dazey Chain · Boom Balloon Flower · Soda Bottle Palm · Tiger Claw · Impaintiens · Turkey-pult · Hammerflower · Fishhook Grass · Energy Mangosteen · Inferno · Tigerstool · Gardenergrass · Draftodil |
Others | Potato Mine · Flower Pot · Tactical Cuke |
Removed | Rotten Red |
Plants vs. Zombies Online | |
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Player's House | Sunflower · Peashooter · Wall-nut · Potato Mine |
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum | Bruce Bamboo · Carrot Rocket · Pomegranate-pult · Dandelion · Venus Flytrap · Wax Gourd · Sod |
Ancient Egypt | Bloomerang · Bonk Choy · Grave Buster · Iceberg Lettuce · Cabbage-pult |
Pirate Seas | Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Kernel-pult · Coconut Cannon · Narcissus · Endurian · Spikerock · Pineapple Cannon · Threepeater |
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Tile Turnip · Ganoderma · Banana Tree · Nitro-shroom · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass |
East Sea Dragon Palace | Oxygen Algae · Garlic · Bubble Flower · Electric Anemone |
Upgrades | Twin Sunflower · Repeater |
VIPs | Winter Melon |
Power Ups | Cherry Bomb · Jalapeno |
Premium | Squash · Snow Pea · Tall-nut |
Adventure Mode only | Magic Vine · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Lightning Reed · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Starfruit · Chomper · Fire Peashooter · Cattail · Zorrose · Clivia · Sap-fling · Acidic Citrus · Magic-shroom · Ghost Pepper · Guacodile · Hurrikale · Plantern · Oak Archer · Homing Thistle · Pepper-pult · Radish · Toadstool · Blooming Heart · Red Stinger · Electric Blueberry · A.K.E.E. · Moonflower · Guerrequila · Aspiragus · Pumpkin Witch · Mine Fruit · Sea Anemone · Lychee Drill · Sea Starfruit |
Plants vs. Zombies 3 | |
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Neighborville | Sunflower · Wall-Nut · Bamboo Shoots · Peashooter · Bonk Choy |
Lost Keys Lake | Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Squash |
Mt. Quesogrande | Chili Bean · Silversword · Cabbage-Pult |
Power-Ups | Grapes of Wrath · Chilly Pepper · Jalapeño · Cherry Bomb · Blover |
Pre-2021 | Puff-Shroom · Buttercup · Garlic · Potato Mine · Pushywillow · Chard Guard · Spikeweed · Kernel-Pult · Caramel Popcorn · Lightning Reed · Melon-Pult · Shuffle Truffle · Blockbuster · Butternut Squash · Ragweed · Sawgrass · Fire Peashooter · Pine Needler · Snow Pea · Night Cap · Aloe Vera · Sweet Potato · Hydrangea · Dogwood · Chomper · Flak Seed · Gravitree · Gloom-Shroom · Lemon-Aid · Starfruit · Snapdragon · Fairy Ring Mushroom · Kalestorm · Star Tree · Magic Beans |