- For other uses, see Cactus (disambiguation).
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Cactus is a combative, projectile-based plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2. She attacks by shooting piercing spikes at zombies, being able to bury herself to deal ground damage.
Contents
About
- For more information about this character, see Cactus.
In the sequel, Cactus is a premium plant which is advertised alongside Neon Mixtape Tour Side A.
She shoots a spike (every 2 seconds) that goes through two to four zombies, and also hides when zombies are close to her while dealing ground damage to zombies that walk over her in this form, similarly to Spikeweed.
Each spike deals 30 damage per shot to each zombie it hits, and the ground damage deals the same damage as the Spikeweed's. Jester Zombies can deflect shots from the Cactus, but still be damaged by her ground attack.
Almanac entry
Cactus
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Cactus
SUN COST: 175
RECHARGE: 5
TOUGHNESS: 300
DAMAGE: 30
RANGE: Multi-Hit
Special: Spike Damage
FAMILY: Spear-mint
Cactus fires a penetrating thorn that can damage multiple enemies!
Special: hides and does ground damage when zombies are near
Things have really changed for Cactus lately. Book deals, movies, truck show appearances... she's just trying to focus on staying humble and launching thorns like always.
Audio
Upgrades
Plant Food effect

Cactus after being fed Plant Food in Plants vs. Zombies 2
When fed Plant Food, Cactus' spikes become supercharged with electricity, increasing her maximum penetration capability by two. Cactus will also deal doubled damage for the remaining duration of her life, whether she is shooting or hiding underground. After this, Cactus can no longer be fed Plant Food.
Costumed (China only)
In addition to becoming supercharged, Cactus will shoot a bunch of supercharged spikes, dealing tons of damage. This will also enable Cactus to be fed Plant Food again.
Spear-mint effect
When boosted by Spear-mint, Cactus's spikes do an additional 120 DPS, her Plant Food spikes do an additional 240 DPS, her hiding spike damage will do an additional 40 DPS, and her Plant Food hiding damage do an additional 80 DPS.
Level upgrades
Level | Seed packets | Coins | Upgrades | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sun Cost | Recharge (Fast) |
Toughness (Typical) |
Damage (Normal) |
Special (Spike Damage)* |
Projectile Velocity |
Range | |||||
Normal | Powered** | Normal | Powered** | ||||||||
1 | 0 | 0 | 175 | 5 seconds | 300 dps | 30 dps | 60 dps | 10 dps | 20 dps | Normal | Multi-Hit |
2 | 10 | 1,000 | 175 | 4.5 seconds | 350 dps | 40 dps | 80 dps | 15 dps | 20 dps | ||
3 | 25 | 2,500 | 175 | 4.5 seconds | 400 dps | 50 dps | 100 dps | 20 dps | 30 dps | + 1.6x | |
4 | 50 | 5,000 | 175 | 4 seconds | 450 dps | 60 dps | 120 dps | 25 dps | 30 dps | ||
5 | 100 | 10,000 | 150 | 4 seconds | 550 dps | 70 dps | 140 dps | 25 dps | 40 dps | ||
6 | 200 | 20,000 | 150 | 3.5 seconds | 600 dps | 80 dps | 160 dps | 30 dps | 40 dps | ||
7 | 400 | 30,000 | 125 | 3.5 seconds | 650 dps | 90 dps | 180 dps | 30 dps | 50 dps | + 2.2x | |
8 | 800 | 50,000 | 125 | 3 seconds | 700 dps | 100 dps | 200 dps | 35 dps | 50 dps | ||
9 | 1,200 | 75,000 | 100 | 3 seconds | 800 dps | 110 dps | 220 dps | 35 dps | 60 dps | ||
10 | 1,600 | 100,000 | 100 | 2.5 seconds | 900 dps | 120 dps | 240 dps | 40 dps | 80 dps |
*This column shows its ground damage when hiding.
**After being fed with Plant Food, both its spike and ground damage are powered.
Level upgrades (China only)
Strategies
Cactus's main strength is her versatility: She can be planted at the back to shoot incoming zombies, as well as a front-line plant to damage enemies like Spikeweed. Compared to other penetrating plants such as Laser Bean and A.K.E.E., Cactus also boasts a relatively high damage output, which can be further enhanced with Plant Food. However, her unreliable penetration capability makes Cactus not as reliable against large groups of zombies.
Cactus is also a good counter for Shield Zombie, Barrel Roller Zombie, and Pianist Zombie, as her spikes can pierce through each of the zombie's barricades. Because when it hides it acts like a Spikeweed, she can instantly destroy Barrel Roller Zombie's barrel and Pianist Zombie; however, Cactus will be sacrificed, even if she has her Plant Food effect activated. Cactus is also good against Imp Cannon, Zombie King, and Imp Porter as their projectiles can pass through zombies in front of them. It should be noted that Excavator Zombie can shovel up hiding Cacti without stepping on her.
In Frostbite Caves, Cactus has a great advantage against Troglobite and Weasel Hoarder as her spikes can hit all ice blocks and multiple Ice Weasels (similar to Zombie Chickens). Watch out for Dodo Rider Zombie as he will fly over hiding Cacti.
In Neon Mixtape Tour, Cactus has an advantage on most zombies encountered in this world, as their jams do not have a major effect on the Cactus: Punk Zombie cannot kick her, MC Zom-B cannot use its microphone attack against Cactus (in most cases), Glitter Zombies cannot instantly destroy the Cactus and Breakdancer Zombies and the zombies it kicks can still be affected by Cactus's ground attack. This makes the Cactus a great option to use in this world. The only things to look out for are Hair Metal Gargantuar (as even their shockwaves will instantly destroy Cacti, hiding or not), Arcade Zombie's arcade machine (as it can still crush Cacti, hiding or not), Boombox Zombie's boombox (as it stuns all Cacti not hiding) and Bass Zombie's speaker and shock waves. However, Cactus's pierce can directly hurt Arcade Zombie and Bass Zombie.
In Jurassic Marsh, Cactus works great against pterodactyls and ankylosauruses. Zombies carried by pterodactyls will still be damaged by her spikes. Ankylosauruses cannot fling zombies past the Cactus (unless Cactus was hiding during the fling) and will not be pushed. In the Chinese version however, one must watch out for Egg Stealer Imps and Egg Roller Imps as their eggs can easily crush Cactus and the baby dinosaurs that come with it can also destroy Cacti easily.
Like Spikeweeds, Spikerocks, Spring Beans and Celery Stalkers, Cactus should not be used in Big Wave Beach levels as zombies will eat the Lily Pad and cause Cactus to fall into the water, wasting 175 sun.
However, unlike the first game, it is a bad idea to use this plant against the Balloon Zombie because the Cactus' spikes can no longer pop the balloon instantly.
It is also a bad choice to place Cactus on a Gold Tile close to Imp Porters, as this does not prevent them from setting up their tent. In the Chinese version, she is normally really weak for the Legendary rarity. However it's extremely recommended to get her costume, because one spike Cactus shoots in her Plant Food effect can destroy a speaker in a single hit. This, combined with her upgrades, area-of-effect, fast recharge and somewhat cheap cost, makes Cactus really worth the effort of grinding to get her to Level 4 and her costume.
Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Cactus.
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Trivia
- In the earlier updates, although the thorns penetrate various zombies, Excavator Zombie is immune to them, as the spikes hit the shovel, glance off (missing the Excavator Zombie completely) and continue to the next zombie.
- She does not hide from Zombie Bulls and Balloon Zombies.
- In Cactus's case, she cannot be eaten (unless a Zombie Bull attempts to); she can only be killed by rolling or smashing attacks, lasers from a Gargantuar Prime or Turquoise Skull Zombie, or if a Jester Zombie can damage her as fast as possible with the "help" of other straight-shooting plants. Additionally, MC Zom-B can hit her in some cases.
- There is also a glitch, in which the Balloon Zombie with its balloon popped is able to destroy her, because she will not hide from it.
- An advertisement for Summer Nights event in 2015 accidentally leaked the return of it a month in advance.
- With her return, all Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare plant classes appear in both Plants vs. Zombies and Plants vs. Zombies 2.
- The vocal noise she makes is from her Garden Warfare appearance.
- She, Celery Stalker, Potato Mine, Primal Potato Mine and Escape Root are the only "underground" plants that cannot be planted directly on Lily Pads in Big Wave Beach. Despite this, they can technically be planted on Lily Pads if they or the plant behind them is pulled by a Fisherman Zombie, which in turn pushes them onto a Lily Pad.

A Cactus disabling an ankylosaurus' attack
- Placing her on the third column from the right (seventh column from the left) will disable the ankylosaurus's attack. The zombies will simply be launched on top of her and stop when she hides. She will not be pushed.
- This only works if she is out of the ground, not hiding. If she is, the zombie will be launched normally.
- Like White Radish, Potato Mine, Bamboo Shoot, Carrot Missile, Celery Stalker, Primal Potato Mine and Escape Root, she cannot be planted on planks in Pirate Seas.
- Cactus, Torchwood, Hypno-shroom, Sun Bean and Electric Currant are the only non-defensive plants that have their Plant Food effect last until the plant has been destroyed.
- If facing a Seagull Zombie or Pelican Zombie, she will hide but she still tries to use her spikes to damage these zombies, although she can't damage them.
- For an unknown reason, in the 8.6.1 update, she is written in Enchant-mint's almanac entry, despite not being in the Enchant-mint family.
Specific to the Chinese version (China only)
- Similar to Red Stinger, her seed packet is different: Cactus's entire body is visible in the Chinese version's seed packet, while her head and one hand is only visible in the international version.
See also
V · T · E |
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 |
Plants vs. Zombies Social Edition | |
---|---|
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 | |
---|---|
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 (Chinese version) | |
---|---|
Ancient Egypt | Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Cabbage-pult · Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower · Snow Pea · 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 | Dripping Diphylleia · Splitting Stephania · Kunai Tupistra · Windbreak Dendrobium · Orchid Chef |
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 · Sumo Melon · Wasabi Whip · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Trump Tulip · Auberninja · 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 Vanilla · Bromel Blade |
Others | Potato Mine · Tactical Cuke |
Removed plants | Rotten Red |
Plants vs. Zombies Online | |
---|---|
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 · Nitration Mushroom · 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 | |
---|---|
Common | Puff-Shroom · Buttercup · Garlic · Potato Mine · Pushywillow · Wall-Nut · Chard Guard · Peashooter · Spikeweed · Cabbage-Pult · Kernel-Pult · Bonk Choy · Caramel Popcorn · Lightning Reed · Melon-Pult |
Rare | Shuffle Truffle · Blockbuster · Butternut Squash · Ragweed · Sawgrass · Squash · Fire Peashooter · Pine Needler · Snow Pea · Bamboo Shoots · Night Cap |
Epic | Aloe Vera · Sweet Potato · Hydrangea · Dogwood · Chomper · Gravitree · Flak Seed · Lemon-Aid · Gloom-Shroom · Snapdragon · Starfruit |
Legendary | Fairy Ring Mushroom · Kalestorm |
Others | Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Star Tree · Magic Beans |
- Plants
- Plants vs. Zombies 2
- Plants vs. Zombies 2 plants
- Legendary plants (Plants vs. Zombies 2 Chinese version)
- Spear-mint Family plants
- Fast recharge plants
- Straight-shooting plants
- Area Effect plants
- Premium plants
- Underground plants
- Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version)
- Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version) plants
- Neon Mixtape Tour (Chinese version)
- Neon Mixtape Tour (Chinese version) obtained plants
- Plants obtained with Puzzle Pieces
- Piercing plants
- Instant-kill plants
- Stun plants
- Ground plants
- Ballistic plants