#0331 · Hoenn · Generation 3

Cacnea

Cactus Pokémon · Grass-type

Cacnea is a Grass-type Pokémon, the Cactus Pokémon, number 331 (#0331) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 51.3 kg.

Cacnea is the Cactus Pokémon, a spiky desert dweller that grows a prettier, sweeter-smelling flower the harsher its home gets. Water stored in its body lets it last 30 days without any.

How to pronounce Cacnea

Cacnea is pronounced KAK-nee-uh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Cacnea said out loud:

In Japanese it is サボネア (Sabonea).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Cacnea is 0.4 m tall and weighs 51.3 kg. It has a round, ridged green body, dark rings around its eyes, a pair of dark spikes either side of its head and a yellow flower bud on top. Its two club-like arms are ringed with spikes. The Pokédex says the yellow flower blooms once a year.

Behaviour

Cacnea lures prey with a strong scent from its flower, and the Ruby entry says it shoots sharp thorns at anything that comes close. In a fight it swings its thick, spiked arms wildly, like hammers.

Habitat

The Pokédex places it in arid locations such as deserts, and in Hoenn it is found on Route 111. In Scarlet and Violet it lives in Paldea's Asado Desert, and it is unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

Powers

Sand Veil raises its evasion in a sandstorm and protects it from the storm's damage, and Water Absorb, hidden, heals it when it is hit by Water moves. It attacks with Pin Missile, Sucker Punch, Drain Punch and Seed Bomb, and sharpens up with Swords Dance. With base Attack and Special Attack both 85 but Defense and Special Defense only 40, it hits harder than it can take.

Name origin

Cacnea may blend 'cactus' with its Japanese name, or with 'debonair'. The Japanese name is Sabonea (サボネア), possibly from saboten ('cactus') and 'debonair'.

Design inspiration

Cacnea seems to be a barrel cactus, perhaps crossed with a jack-o'-lantern, and the flower on its head resembles a crown. An unused Generation I cactus design that appeared in an educational manga from 2018, Satoshi Tajiri: The Man Who Created Pokémon, may have inspired it. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Cacnea evolves into Cacturne at level 32.

In the games

Cacnea can be found on Route 111 in Ruby and Sapphire, its first games. Outside the core series it turns up in Mystery Dungeon dungeons such as Mt. Thunder in Red and Blue Rescue Team.

In the anime

James's Cacnea debuted in 'A Poached Ego!', when he caught it after releasing his Weezing to protect freed Ekans and Koffing from a poacher. In 'Once There Were Greenfields', James leaves it with Gardenia to learn Drain Punch.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says no other Pokémon shares the Egg Group pairing of Cacnea and its evolution, and that they are the only Grass types in the Human-Like group.
• Before Generation V, Needle Arm was the signature move of the Cacnea line.
• Cacnea had no Egg moves at all in Scarlet and Violet before version 2.0.1, which Bulbapedia presumes was an oversight.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Cacnea (Pokémon) · Serebii: Cacnea (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex) · Bulbapedia: James's Cacnea

Base stats

• HP: 50
• Attack: 85
• Defense: 40
• Sp. Atk: 85
• Sp. Def: 40
• Speed: 35

Cacnea’s base stat total is 335. Its highest stat is Attack and Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Cacnea weak to?

Cacnea takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Ice (2×), Poison (2×), Flying (2×), Bug (2×) moves.

It resists Water (½×), Electric (½×), Grass (½×), Ground (½×).

Evolution

How does Cacnea evolve?

Cacnea evolves into Cacturne at level 32.

The whole family: Cacnea, Cacturne.

Abilities

• Sand Veil: Increases evasion to 1.25× during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.
• Water Absorb (hidden ability): Absorbs Water moves, healing for 1/4 max HP.

Moves

Moves Cacnea learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (49)

Cacnea can learn 49 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Scary Face, Protect, Low Kick, Thief, Trailblaze, Facade, Bulldoze, Swift, Magical Leaf, Fling, Venoshock, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Dig, Bullet Seed, Brick Break, Foul Play, Body Slam, Thunder Punch, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Drain Punch, Grass Knot, Poison Jab, Rest, Swords Dance, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Dark Pulse, Substitute, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Encore, Helping Hand, Grassy Terrain, Nasty Plot, Leaf Storm, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Spite, Focus Punch, Grassy Glide, Endeavor, Skitter Smack, Throat Chop, Curse.

Egg moves (8):Acid, Belch, Block, Counter, Disable, Fell Stinger, Switcheroo, Teeter Dance.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Grass, Human-Like.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 190 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 35.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Sp. Atk effort value.
• Base experience yield: 67.

Pokédex entries

The more arid and harsh the environment, the more pretty and fragrant a flower Cacnea grows. This Pokémon battles by wildly swinging its thorny arms. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)

Cacnea lives in arid locations such as deserts. It releases a strong aroma from its flower to attract prey. When prey comes near, this Pokémon shoots sharp thorns from its body to bring the victim down. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)

It prefers harsh environments such as deserts. It can survive for 30 days on water stored in its body. (FireRed, LeafGreen, Y)

It lives in arid locations. Its yellow flowers bloom once a year. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, X)

By storing water in its body, this desert dweller can survive for 30 days without water. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)

Cacnea live in deserts with virtually no rainfall. It battles by swinging its thick, spiked arms. Once a year, a yellow flower blooms. (Emerald)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 11% of all Pokémon (0.4 m).
• Heavier than 67% of all Pokémon (51.3 kg).
• Base stat total 335, ranked #731 of 1,025.
• One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 130 green Pokémon.
• Number 80 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 70 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 6 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Cacnea (Pokémon), Serebii: Cacnea (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex), Bulbapedia: James's Cacnea.
• Pronunciation (KAK-nee-uh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Grass-type Pokémon · Hoenn region guide · Sand Veil ability · Water Absorb ability · Compare Cacnea · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 3 Grass-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Green Pokémon list · Grass egg group · Human-Like egg group · Pokémon that start with C

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