Hi, please can you help?
I have a cowboy cactus that I've had for over 10 years and he has been the picture of health. He is an indoor plant in London. Recently I have noticed a few changes and have searched the web, but don't feel confident about what the actual problem is and how to address it.
1) the base has brown ring marks, is this normal?
2)noticed today that one of the arms has turned brown and is slightly softer - soft carrot not squidgy tomato! Do I remove? Or can it be resolved
Thanks so much in advance.
Sue
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sick cowboy cactus
sick cowboy cactus
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Re: sick cowboy cactus
Hi, please can you help?
I have a cowboy cactus that I've had for over 10 years and he has been the picture of health. He is an indoor plant in London. Recently I have noticed a few changes and have searched the web, but don't feel confident about what the actual problem is and how to address it.
1) the base has brown ring marks, is this normal?
2)noticed today that one of the arms has turned brown and is slightly softer - soft carrot not squidgy tomato! Do I remove? Or can it be resolved
Thanks so much in advance.
Sue
Top[/quote]
I have a cowboy cactus that I've had for over 10 years and he has been the picture of health. He is an indoor plant in London. Recently I have noticed a few changes and have searched the web, but don't feel confident about what the actual problem is and how to address it.
1) the base has brown ring marks, is this normal?
2)noticed today that one of the arms has turned brown and is slightly softer - soft carrot not squidgy tomato! Do I remove? Or can it be resolved
Thanks so much in advance.
Sue
Top[/quote]
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- rsz_wp_20170807_12_03_07_pro.jpg (106.56 KiB) Viewed 1340 times
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greenknight
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- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: sick cowboy cactus
It's a Euphorbia, not a cactus, though care is similar. The brown patches near the base, if they're not soft, are not a problem. That branch looks like it's dying to me, I'd just remove it. That skinny growth it's been making indicates it needs more light.
Spence 
Re: sick cowboy cactus
Hello Sue,
I was just going to suggest, that you post the "Cowboy Cactus" images on the Succulent Growing Help site. I thought, and still think, that you will get more responses to the Euphorbia sp. problem there than here in the forum, which is accessed by cactus growers.
While I do not have any members of that plant family in my outdoor cactus collection, they do at least have one thing in common: they ate both succulents.
I just wanted to let you know, that I basically agree with greenknight. While I too believe, that the brown splotches near the base of the plant are most likely not of great importance, it would still be a good idea to keep an eye on them. If you realize, that they grow larger and especially, if they become more numerous, you most likely do have a fungal pathogen at work. There are many fungicides available, including systemic ones, if there is a fungus diagnosis.
About the softening, discolored arm I cannot tell, what caused the condition. However, I too would cut that arm off, right at the main stem.
If the top still is green, you can try to root that part. I am afraid, that will eventually die anyway. At least the water transport is already affected.
Again, like with the case of the brown splotches, if the discolored area spreads or shows up at a previously healthy part of your plant, an infective agent, be it a bacterium or a fungus is the cause and you will need to take immediate action by removing the infected part and applying an effective pesticide.
Harald
I was just going to suggest, that you post the "Cowboy Cactus" images on the Succulent Growing Help site. I thought, and still think, that you will get more responses to the Euphorbia sp. problem there than here in the forum, which is accessed by cactus growers.
While I do not have any members of that plant family in my outdoor cactus collection, they do at least have one thing in common: they ate both succulents.
I just wanted to let you know, that I basically agree with greenknight. While I too believe, that the brown splotches near the base of the plant are most likely not of great importance, it would still be a good idea to keep an eye on them. If you realize, that they grow larger and especially, if they become more numerous, you most likely do have a fungal pathogen at work. There are many fungicides available, including systemic ones, if there is a fungus diagnosis.
About the softening, discolored arm I cannot tell, what caused the condition. However, I too would cut that arm off, right at the main stem.
If the top still is green, you can try to root that part. I am afraid, that will eventually die anyway. At least the water transport is already affected.
Again, like with the case of the brown splotches, if the discolored area spreads or shows up at a previously healthy part of your plant, an infective agent, be it a bacterium or a fungus is the cause and you will need to take immediate action by removing the infected part and applying an effective pesticide.
Harald
Re: sick cowboy cactus
Thank you both so much, I will get straight on it.
Sue x
Sue x