BERLIN CACTUS DAYS 2025 in the Botanic Garden

On around 900 square metres, curious and interested visitors can marvel, ask questions and even buy. There are over 1,000 cacti and other succulent plants on display. Also back again: the oldest cactus nursery in the world. The event is organised by the Berlin group of the German Cactus Society.

Under the roof of the Neues Glashaus, visitors can take a relaxed stroll through the diverse world of cacti and succulents over four days from 9 am to 6 pm. Special specimens from North America and Mexico such as Echinocereus and Mammillaria as well as Gymnocalycium from South America (Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia) can be seen in artistically designed display beds. All three are species-rich genera that are characterised by their remarkable diversity of forms. Many of them have their main flowering season in May, so that cactus lovers can look forward to a colourful sea of flowers. But African succulents such as aloe, spurge and noonday flower plants are not missing either. Anyone who would like to admire the survival artists in their natural environment afterwards can go on a discovery tour through greenhouses H and I of the Botanic Garden.


Gardening like the pros

And if you don't just want to see, but also sow or at least not go home without a plant, the Berlin Cactus Days 2025 is also the right place for you. Numerous stands offer a wide range of cacti, succulents and orchids as well as accessories such as artistic ceramic pots or bowls. There is something for everyone here - from newcomers to experts. The possibilities for cultivating cacti are vast and also suitable for beginners. They range from plants on the windowsill to care in a greenhouse. Hardy cacti can even be cultivated all year round in the garden or on the balcony. Participating dealers and associations from Germany and abroad will be on hand to answer questions and provide practical tips. And due to the great demand, cactus substrate is once again on offer this year, which is also used by professionals. Visitors can purchase small quantities at a low price. This means that nothing stands in the way of potting and repotting new treasures or older specimens.

Survival artists and water reservoirs
More than 1,800 species are known in the cactus family. The cactus collection in the Berlin Botanical Garden is one of the largest in Europe. A particular favourite of the public is the golden globe cactus (Echinocactus grusonii), which is over 100 years old. But there is much more to discover in the popular greenhouses H and I - for example huge plants up to 5 metres tall such as the large-ribbed columnar cactus (Cereus grandicostatus), beautiful aloes, the popular penny tree (Crassula ovata) or the lesser-known large-leaved deciduous cactus (Pereskia grandifolia).

Cacti are real survival artists. During long dry periods, they can lose up to 20 per cent of their liquid. As soon as it rains, they absorb large quantities of water with surprising speed. Their ‘concertina’ shape helps them to do this. This allows cacti to contract when dry and expand again when absorbing liquid. They are among the most popular houseplants - although some species have almost disappeared from the wild. Cacti are protected under the Washington Convention of 1974, and trade and distribution are controlled.

Cactus tradition in Berlin since 1892
The Berlin Cactus Days have been held at the Botanical Garden Berlin since 2003. The event is organised by the Kakteenfreunde Berlin e. V. and is the largest cactus show in Germany organised by private individuals. The Deutsche Kakteen-Gesellschaft e.V. (DKG) is a non-profit organisation that promotes the knowledge and care of cacti and other succulents for the benefit of the general public. The DKG was founded on 5 December 1892 in Berlin by the then curator at the Botanical Garden, Prof. Karl Moritz Schumann. Today, the DKG has around 6,000 members organised in almost 100 local groups.
Berlin Cactus Days 2025 at the Botanical Garden Berlin


Entrances: Königin-Luise-Str. 6-8 (bus 101, bus X83) and Unter den Eichen (bus M48)

• Date: 29.5. to 01.06.2025, Thursday to Sunday
  
• Open: 9 am - 6 pm
  

Admission: Combined ticket (cactus show incl. garden admission): 10 euros, reduced 5 euros Annual pass holders pay the reduced admission price

Tickets at the entrances to the Botanic Garden and online:  www.bo.berlin/kakteentage25