Can cactus plants grow in dirt?

Yes, desert cactus plants can grow in dirt. But no, jungle cactus plants aren't used to growing out of the ground. They grow with their roots exposed to the air. In the jungle, the problem is the reverse of the desert. It's a situation of high moisture levels and low light. So jungle cactus plants root high up on tree trunks and branches to get closer to the filtered sunlight of the thick, dense, dark tropical forests.