Cereus forbesii monstrose

[WayneByerly]

What is UP with this cactus?

A picture from 2015 so you can see what it looked like then ... when I first bought it.

2015.jpg (155.36 KiB) Viewed 683 times

In 2016 it began to show some stress. Look close (or as close as you can) at the crown of each of the little "bulbs".

2016.jpg (117.9 KiB) Viewed 683 times

And three pictures taken just recently to show yopu how bad it has gotten.

2017 (1).jpg (103.94 KiB) Viewed 683 times

2017 (2).jpg (113.7 KiB) Viewed 683 times

2017 (3).jpg (59.81 KiB) Viewed 683 times

And before anybody is tempted to say "mealy bugs" after looking at those last four pictures, I've had mealy bugs before, and I KNOW what they look like. The white tufty mealy bug LOOKING stuff is JUST cotton! I've a pair of "loupe glasses" (that you wear on your face like sunglasses) ... 20x ... and I've examined it a number of times without EVER finding the first indication of a bug. And I can pick this "cottony" stuff off with a needle without seeing the first indication of any LCT's (Little Crawly Things).

[stefan m.]

It looks like sunburn.. Cereus cacti are ridiculously prone to sunburn, especially on young stems. If its corky(wooden, rough and hard surface, to peel off to the touch) is a symptom of sunburn. If its not, i have no idea. Bad news is, sunburn is incurable.
Could be even caused by fungus but unlikely. To determine this, it would need to be soft, and let out some kind of dark ooze.

[williamsii823]

I'd be tempted to agree with sunburn. Keep it in bright shade, and see how it progresses.

[WayneByerly]

Ive brought it from the greenhouse so that it's in a warmer spot. I'll make sure it's in not in too bright a place, and we'll see what it looks like in 6 months or so. Thanks a lot guys for your assistance. A lot. I really mean it. I don't know what I'd do without the people in this forum.