Trader Joe’s New “Cuddly Cactus” Is Kid

If you’ve been avoiding adding a cactus to your houseplant collection because you don’t trust that your kid/dog/cat/partner won’t touch it and hurt themselves on the spines, then you’re in luck: Trader Joe’s just added a new cactus to its houseplant section that is completely spineless.

In fact, these cactuses are so people- and animal-friendly that they’ve been dubbed “Cuddly Cactus.” Go ahead, give it a hug!

Spotted by the user behind the Trader Joe’s and Target Finds Instagram account, these cacti are going for $13 and each comes in a pot that matches the scalloped design of the cactus. And each plant is smooth to the touch.

“They’re basically a lap dog,” one person commented.

Cuddly Cactus is a species that isn’t found naturally in nature — its parent species, Cereus jamakaru, is native to central and eastern Brazil and has spines. But through careful nursery cultivation, a spineless version of the C. jamakaru has been created. Instead of spines, the Cuddly variety produces extremely short white hair at the spine points.

And when the Cuddly Cactus is mature enough, it will produce large white or pink flowers.

Like regular cacti, the Cuddly Cactus only needs to be watered when the soil in the pot is completely dry. It needs a lot of bright light, so place it in the sunniest window in your home to keep it happy and healthy. Next time you’re at Trader Joe’s, pick up a Cuddly Cactus to finally fulfill your dream of being the proud parent of a cactus (without needing to fear the dreaded OUCH cry from those in your home who are a bit too curious for their own good).