Austrocylindropuntia subulata - Soft & Floppy

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
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owlsgomoo
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:04 pm
Location: West Devon, UK

Austrocylindropuntia subulata - Soft & Floppy

Post by owlsgomoo »

Hello!

My cacti "Elvis" has gone rather soft and floppy. I have attached a picture of him in slightly healthier days...
Elvis 02.jpg
Elvis 02.jpg (28.52 KiB) Viewed 984 times
He has now turned a much darker shade of green, gone rather wrinkly and soft and he seems to be flopping all over the place. I have had him on a windowsill with average light. I have turned him weekly. I have watered him infrequently (as in, maybe once every two months?!)

I've had a good look at him and there are no obvious signs of damage or pests.

Any ideas? Is Elvis dying?

Thank you!
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hegar
Posts: 4596
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:04 am
Location: El Paso, Texas

Re: Austrocylindropuntia subulata - Soft & Floppy

Post by hegar »

Well, according to your description of symptoms "Elvis" may be dying. If a cactus plant develops soft rot it oftentimes also changes its color from a green to a more dark grayish green. Of course, the cactus will also fall over. However, a plant that has not had enough water will wilt i.e. it does lose turgor pressure. So, paradoxically, a cactus shows similar symptoms if it has been over watered and developed a soft rot or if it did not receive an adequate amount of water. Too little light will also cause problems which are similar.
The plant growth will be spindly (weak) and an abnormal lengthening of the stem will result (etiolation). Then the cactus will also fall over or break off somewhere.
What I would do is to first check out the root system. Do the roots look healthy and are they well developed? If the plant has been sitting in a pot for a long time, you may consider repotting, using fresh growth medium (see "Growing Cacti tab on top of this page for a good cactus mix).
Some cacti, especially when they are being grown outdoors, will "lie down" and become wrinkled during the cold part of the year.
Then, once spring arrives they will straighten out and the wrinkles will disappear, because the plant is actively growing and there is water uptake happening. This is true for some members of the Opuntioidea group of cacti and your Austrocylindropuntia subulata falls into that category.
Judging by the picture showing your plant when it was in a healthier condition I would say, that your cactus was grown with too little light and became "leggy". Overall, the stems are too thin.

Harald
owlsgomoo
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:04 pm
Location: West Devon, UK

Re: Austrocylindropuntia subulata - Soft & Floppy

Post by owlsgomoo »

Thank you for such a detailed response. I have looked at the roots and they look healthy and it's not pot bound. I have moved it to the lightest location I can find in the house and I have given it a good drink of water. I have been looking around online and think it might be a lack of water (and decent light!) that has done it. I have been so cautious with over-watering that I think I have under-watered. I will give it another few months and hopefully he will perk up, if not well, Elvis will be declared dead!

Thank you again for the reply!
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