Want to build a sustainable, low maintenance garden? Cactus Haven has you covered
Xeric gardening, a water conservation conscious approach to landscaping, is the way to go in the semi-arid, low precipitation climates of Southern Colorado.
Plants in a xeric garden require little water, but are nonetheless colorful and eye-catching. The claret cup cactus can add rose red flowers to your xeric garden, while the santa rita prickly pear shifts from a teal green to a lavender shade when stressed by changing temperatures. These plants and a wide range of others will soon be available at Cactus Haven in Pueblo West.
Cactus Haven, 316 S. McCulloch Blvd., reopens for its Summer 2025 season on May 3. The locally-owned business carries over 70 cacti and yucca varieties. There’s indoor as well as outdoor options. Additionally, metal statuary, pottery products and solar lanterns may be purchased at Cactus Haven.
Mark Salay, owner of Cactus Haven, set up shop in 2018. What began as a hobby developed into a store selling a few small plants before growing into the diversely stocked emporium it is today.
“I never envisioned working in a nursery, but I have always been fond of plants ever since I was very young,” Salay said. “Cacti was never a thought in my mind until I moved out here to Colorado in 1985.”
Despite a dry climate, Salay noticed that there was a lack of nurseries catering to xeric plants in Colorado. In the current era of climate change and of water conservation becoming increasingly important, Salay sees xeric gardening as the “way of the future.”
“If everybody can try to do their best with keeping water usage at a minimum—having xeric beds or gardens is one way that people can help our future population,” he said.
For those wanting a xeric garden, but not sure where to start, Cactus Haven offers consulting services. Whether gardeners are wondering how large their cactus or yucca plant is going to get, how much sun the plant needs or where plants should be placed to keep people and plants safe—Salay can share knowledge gleaned from over 26 years of experience.
Aside from the colorful claret cup cactus and the santa rita prickly pear varieties, Cactus Haven also carries the high-reaching yucca faxoniana, varieties native to Colorado like the yucca glauca, various cholla cacti, barrel cacti, agave and much more.
Cactus Haven offers delivery services to Pueblo West, Pueblo proper, Colorado Springs and Denver. This summer, the store will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional information about Cactus Haven is available online at cactushaven.com, on the Cactus Haven LLC Facebook page or by following @cactushaven on TikTok.
