Opuntia (?) help

[Amym]

Hi!

I'm trying to identify what kind of cactus this is. I'm also looking for some help. It Sits in a southern facing window and I water when the soil dries but after one very sunny day this summer it actually bent away from the sun. Since then it's been bending over. The other thing I just noticed was spots on it. I purchased another cactus from someone with spots like that and they said it was frost bite but this guy hasn't been in the cold. Thanks for any help in advance

[stefan m.]

Consolea(no species ID) with what looks like scale(spots). The bending down is due to improper weight distribution during etiolation- happened to my opuntias. As for these thing pestering your plant, a closeup is needed on the spots.

[hegar]

I agree with stefan m. All we could do at this time is to venture a guess, because the spots on your plant cannot be identified. You could have an infestation of armored scale insects or who knows what. You will need to take a focused image with a camera that does have a macro or super-macro setting.

Harald

[Amym]

Unfortunately when I try and upload closeups from a camera it says they are too large...

I tried again on my phone- hopefully this is better?

As far as the bending over, do you suggest cutting at the top? Or just continuing to put in full sun?

[stefan m.]

1- try rotating the image vertically-for some reason horizonthal ones are bigger
2- use paint to resize.
Use a stick and try to tie up the top before it becomes wooden, place in stronger sun, and yes , i think thats scale.
Scrape it off and use a insectide.

[Amym]

Scraped the spots today, too hard maybe in one spot -oops!
Changed soil, added rocks- basically a small makeover-
Added a temporary stake (two chopsticks glued together and a bread tie)
And I will get something to spray it with- anything natural recommended? There are children and animals in the house...
Otherwise it’s going back in full sun and I’m hoping for the best!

[stefan m.]

Avoid putting in full sun-look up phototoxicity in cactiguide pests and diseases,
Sometimes chemicals react with your plant and the sun.
Also from what i could tell, some of it is corking(natural).
And you need to remove the small round scabs on the sides-those are scale insects.
They proably have insecticide at agricultural phrarmacies/hardware stores/ ask them.

[Amym]

After scraping what was thought to have been scale- I am not so sure that’s what it was considering how it was hard to get off and from what I’ve read scale would be easier? Could be wrong though...

Either way, you live and you learn but things have gone down hill

I’m wondering whether I should dig it up and check out how the roots are or just cut

It’s not mushy where it shriveled- most of it is actually quite hard but it’s obviously carrying a big load on top

[stefan m.]

Cut it out where the black band is. The stem should be green an healthy(if its discolored cut 1 cm up)Whaever method you used to scrape it seems to have infected the lower plant OR youve damaged the tissue too much. Thats not natural....
Let it dry out for a couple of weeks. Use ethanol this time to disinfect the cut. Put it in a shady spot until it takes root.

[hegar]

You are correct with your assumption, Amy. Scale insects do pry off rather easily. There are two kinds of scale, the armored scale (Diaspididae) and the soft scale (Coccidae). Coccidae members are generally larger in size, but they too are easily removed from a plant. You would not need to scour into the epidermis to get them off your plant.
Stefan is correct, when he tells you to cut the Opuntia above the damaged part. You can lay it on its side for a week or so, until a callus layer has formed. Then you can place it back into the growing medium.
Fortunately for you, prickly pear cacti are fast growing tough plants. As far as I can recall, I have only killed one during my 30 years of growing experience. That plant stayed in the ground for several years and just refused to grow, losing the only pad by something drying it up from the side.
All my other Opuntia sp. cacti grow like mad. Even if you place the cactus on its side on the ground it should form roots and anchor itself to the ground.

Harald

[Amym]

You are correct with your assumption, Amy. Scale insects do pry off rather easily. There are two kinds of scale, the armored scale (Diaspididae) and the soft scale (Coccidae). Coccidae members are generally larger in size, but they too are easily removed from a plant. You would not need to scour into the epidermis to get them off your plant.
Stefan is correct, when he tells you to cut the Opuntia above the damaged part. You can lay it on its side for a week or so, until a callus layer has formed. Then you can place it back into the growing medium.
Fortunately for you, prickly pear cacti are fast growing tough plants. As far as I can recall, I have only killed one during my 30 years of growing experience. That plant stayed in the ground for several years and just refused to grow, losing the only pad by something drying it up from the side.
All my other Opuntia sp. cacti grow like mad. Even if you place the cactus on its side on the ground it should form roots and anchor itself to the ground.

Harald

I made the terrifying cut today!

After 1 week do you suggest a pumice heavy soil?
I’ve only been using organic pre made cactus mix which I think it was in when I got it

Thanks!

[stefan m.]

Seems youve had root issues as well. And yes, when trying to root something a mineral heavy soil is probably your best choice.

[hegar]

Amy, unless I am totally mistaken, your "terrifying cut" will result in more prickly pear plants than you might want to have. Because you do have several pieces that you could propagate, you should be able to grow several Opuntia plants from the material from the one dismembered cactus.

I am not sure, what species your Opuntia belongs to, but these plants generally form roots rather easily. I have had a good number of them become water logged and fall over, oftentimes after the roots had started to rot. Just cutting the plant above the no longer viable cladode (pad) and leaving it lying on its side in the shade for a week or so is all that needs to be done. Then you can place it back into the soil. Pumice-heavy growing medium or any other gritty material will be just fine. It is definitely better than placing the cactus into a high-organic potting soil.

Make sure, that the plant receives enough sun light or artificial light of high intensity and the correct light color spectrum, e.g. grow lights.
If cacti do not receive sufficient light, they will grow in a unnaturally elongated fashion (etiolation), which is evident with your plant.
That will also contribute to them to fall over and requiring staking.
Also, remember, that with growing medium low in organic content, you will have to water a little more often and fertilize the plants twice a year in early spring and late summer with 1/2 to 1/3 the recommended strength on the fertilizer label. I am using a water soluble fertilizer by Miracle growth with the formula 15-30-15 (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium), but anything is fine, as long as the first number is not as big or bigger than the next.
Cacti do not need as much Nitrogen as for example a lawn. They are naturally growing in nutrient poor soils. The second macronutrient, Phosphorus,
is required for flowering and fruit production, while Nitrogen benefits mostly the vegetative growth.

Harald

[Amym]

Amy, unless I am totally mistaken, your "terrifying cut" will result in more prickly pear plants than you might want to have. Because you do have several pieces that you could propagate, you should be able to grow several Opuntia plants from the material from the one dismembered cactus.

I am not sure, what species your Opuntia belongs to, but these plants generally form roots rather easily. I have had a good number of them become water logged and fall over, oftentimes after the roots had started to rot. Just cutting the plant above the no longer viable cladode (pad) and leaving it lying on its side in the shade for a week or so is all that needs to be done. Then you can place it back into the soil. Pumice-heavy growing medium or any other gritty material will be just fine. It is definitely better than placing the cactus into a high-organic potting soil.

Make sure, that the plant receives enough sun light or artificial light of high intensity and the correct light color spectrum, e.g. grow lights.
If cacti do not receive sufficient light, they will grow in a unnaturally elongated fashion (etiolation), which is evident with your plant.
That will also contribute to them to fall over and requiring staking.
Also, remember, that with growing medium low in organic content, you will have to water a little more often and fertilize the plants twice a year in early spring and late summer with 1/2 to 1/3 the recommended strength on the fertilizer label. I am using a water soluble fertilizer by Miracle growth with the formula 15-30-15 (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium), but anything is fine, as long as the first number is not as big or bigger than the next.
Cacti do not need as much Nitrogen as for example a lawn. They are naturally growing in nutrient poor soils. The second macronutrient, Phosphorus,
is required for flowering and fruit production, while Nitrogen benefits mostly the vegetative growth.

Harald

Thank you for all of that! I was away so could not be repot and today is the day!

Do you think it shouldBe in the same size pot as before or can it be in a much smaller one for now

[stefan m.]

. Ditch the old soil- pests tend to reside there and get new one.
As to the pot size, cacti dont like pots that are too big. Get a smaller one until it roots solidly, then repot into a bigger container.