shriveling cactus

[melissapluke]

16491429_10158127615460585_1557482926_o.jpg (127.8 KiB) Viewed 1199 times

I am new to this climate (I live in LA) and the house which I moved to has this cactus out front. It appears to have something wrong with it. Notice the lower left branch (are they called branches?). It has faded in color and seems to be shriveling up. Does anyone have any ideas? Also, does anyone know what type of cactus this is?

[adetheproducer]

Is it soft or hard? If it's hard it's most likely just corking, turning woody like a tree. If it's soft and squishy like say over rip fruit it's rotting. It does look very sun burnt as well it should really be a more vivid green with smooth skin. Please wait for more opinions though I'm not an expert of your climate at all so you will get some more ideas from the rest of the guys here who reply.

[melissapluke]

Hi, It is hard. Is corking bad?

[greenknight]

Some corking at the base is normal on old cacti. this is more than normal corking. Could be that it's suffering from the long drought - though the plants next to it are okay, they might have been watered individually. How does the rest of it look? Could you post a wider shot showing the whole plant?

It's what's usually sold as Cereus peruvianus monstrose - http://worldofsucculents.com/cereus-rep ... le-cactus/

[melissapluke]

20170202_082239_720.jpg (136.63 KiB) Viewed 1169 times

20170202_082225_720.jpg (155.22 KiB) Viewed 1169 times

20170202_082217_720.jpg (143.53 KiB) Viewed 1169 times

Here are more pictures. Oh my, it is supposed to be green? What can I do to help it? I'm obviously assuming water, but how much, and how often?

[greenknight]

It should be much greener, yes. I wouldn't water it now, this is the rainy season - it might get drowned. During the summer is when it might need some extra water. Not certain that water shortage caused the problem, the larger Cereus next to it looks fine - but that might be the problem, that it's getting out-competed for the limited moisture by the more vigorous variety next to it. I can't be certain.

I have no experience growing cacti in the landscape, much too rainy here for that. Maybe one of our members from that area can give you some tips. It does have a little green in it still, it may recover - they're pretty tough plants.

[Grimm]

I suspect that either it's roots have died, or they are bound up in a tight ball with compost (pot-bound) - the second assumes that it was planted there as a large cactus rather than grown in that position.

I would firstly very gently rock the cactus to see how firmly it is planted. If it's roots have died, it should move far too easily. If this is the case then you'll need to look up how to re-root it or take cuttings (although it may be too weak for the latter)

If it is firmly in place then I would gently brush back the soil around the base of the cactus and see if you can find a plant pot shaped lump of compost and roots. If this is the case you may need to dig it up, soak the root ball, and slowly release the compost and roots, then re-plant.