rattail cactus

9.3

A tropical cactus with long thin hanging stems and bright red flowers

noun
/ˈrætˌteɪl ˈkæktəs/

: cactus cola de rata

The slender stems of the rattail cactus can trail beautifully over the edge of a hanging basket.

Examples

The rattail cactus produces stunning crimson flowers that last for several days in early summer.
You can grow a rattail cactus indoors if it gets enough sunlight and warmth.
The rattail cactus blooms beautifully in the summer.
I bought a rattail cactus for my garden.
The rattail cactus produces stunning crimson flowers that last for several days in early summer.
You can grow a rattail cactus indoors if it gets enough sunlight and warmth.
The slender stems of the rattail cactus can trail beautifully over the edge of a hanging basket.

Synonyms

rat's-tail cactus

vsrattail cactus

9.5

A tropical American plant with long, hanging stems and bright red flowers

is the same plant name written without apostrophe or hyphen

Aporocactus flagelliformis

vsrattail cactus

Specialized

9.9

A trailing cactus with long thin stems and bright red flowers often grown in hanging baskets

is the common English name rather than the scientific Latin form

Surface Forms

rattail cactus singular

rattail cactuses plural

Morphology

rattail + cactus

The compound is directly compositional: 'rattail' (a thin, cordlike tail) plus 'cactus' yields a cactus with thin, trailing stems resembling a rattail. This straightforward physical description follows common noun‑noun compounding patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Rattail cactus may come from the plant's long, thin stems that hang down like a rat's tail, with bright crimson flowers appearing along them. That's why the picture of rattail plus cactus helps you remember this small cactus people grow for its pretty look, or 'ornamental plant'.