maihueniopsis minuta

[kal9988]

The base of my maihueniopsis minuta has gotten wrinkled. What should I do? I only water it once a month during the winter.

File_000 (6).jpeg (57.04 KiB) Viewed 853 times

[esp_imaging]

Your call - water it or don't!
At least with a plant like this you have load of cuttings if the root rots, so watering is probably a low-risk option.
On the other hand, it should be able to cope with a drought, the habitat plants on this page seem a lot more water stressed than yours:

http://www.cl-cactus.com/fnfinder.asp?L ... sis+minuta

[Aiko]

It's odd that the base is much more wrinkly than the other segments. When was the last time you have watered it? I assume you have plenty of sunlight in your 'winter', so I guess it is relatively safe to water it one additional time to see if that will help. I don't know much of your growing conditions. But up here with a cold and very dark winter it is much safer to withhold water entirely untill spring. The weather is so much different then compared to now, that a plant like this will really have to get out of dormancy, and will react very well to its first watering and will plump up really well a few days after its first water splash. Maybe for you this plant is more in some sort of snoozing state, being less responsive to watering to plump up in an instance?

[kal9988]

So you guys believe the wrinkling is due to lack of water and not rot or something else? I'm in Los Angeles, where the winters are pretty mild.

[Steve Johnson]

So you guys believe the wrinkling is due to lack of water and not rot or something else? I'm in Los Angeles, where the winters are pretty mild.

Opuntioids are generally tough as nails, so it's highly doubtful that your Maihueniopsis has rot. Winter shriveling is more likely. My Tephros are already looking pruney, although this is totally normal. If you water at all, it should be light -- just enough to moisten the mix without drenching it. If you keep your cacti indoors all winter, once a month is fine. But if you keep them outside and you see overnight lows below 40, IMO it's best if you don't water at all.

[kal9988]

Ok thanks!