Offsets rooting

[J-M]

My friend gave me some offsets of mammilaria (variety ?) and Parodia (variety ?). At this time of the year is it possible for them to root and be ready to grow in the spring or are they going to slowly die during winter ?

If possible what should I do ? Wait a couple days and then put them on some dry soil ? How long should I wait before I could consider to start watering lightly ?

Thanks !

[Aiko]

My friend gave me some offsets of mammilaria (variety ?) and Parodia (variety ?). At this time of the year is it possible for them to root and be ready to grow in the spring or are they going to slowly die during winter ?

If possible what should I do ? Wait a couple days and then put them on some dry soil ? How long should I wait before I could consider to start watering lightly ?

I see something of a root, but I could be wrong. If it is a root, just put them in a dry soil. You could give them very light waterings every now and then. The tiny roots don't take up much water just yet, so keep the waterings very light.

If there are not roots and what I am seeing is just some tissue where the offsets were attached to the mother plant, put them in some dry soil, keep them in a cool place and just wait for spring. They will grow some roots around that time. Just check up on them in spring every now and then. Just gently pull them out of the soil to see if the roots are emerging and settling the offset firmly in the soil. Withhold watering untill you see the roots appearing.

[greenknight]

I agree. I suggest you use a mist sprayer when it's time to lightly water them - gives you precise control of the amount of water and distributes it evenly.

[J-M]

Yeah both mammilarias have one small root, but the parodias have nothing.

Thank you, I will do that and hope for the best !

P.S. Can anyone ID the exact species from the picture ?

[luddhus]

Mammillaria vetula gracilis. Are you sure the other species is a Parodia? Has the mother plant flowered? Some closeups would help, but it could be Gymnocalycium mesopotamicum.

[J-M]

Thank you for the Mammilaria.

Yes on a small ID tab coming from the store he got the cactus it was written Parodia. Perharps maybe they made a mistake. Looking at pictures it looks a bit like Parodia Werneri, but as you suggest it also look like Gymnocalycium mesopotamicum ... I dont know about the flower color or size, but the offsets come from a parent plant forming a big clump of at least 20.

Maybe this picture will help, it is as close up as my phone will allow me to take a picture.

[Steve Johnson]

First off, it's highly recommended that forum members include basic location and climate info in their profiles. Then whenever they ask for advice, respondents are more likely to produce useful answers. See the following screenshots:



Here's my profile as an example:



If you live in the US, you can reference the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for your profile:

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Secondly, from your photo it looks like your mix is mostly potting soil -- way too rich for desert cacti, so you should lean it out a lot more with mineral. If you have access to pumice, that's the best, and depending on your climate you may be able to grow your cacti in straight pumice. I went soil-less in early 2012 with a fairly coarse pumice-decomposed granite aggregate, so with the exception of some species that need a certain amount of soil in the mix, I can tell you that going soil-less works really well if you use pumice.

[7george]

Those 4 on the last photo can be some Echinopsis offsets as well.

[luddhus]

the offsets come from a parent plant forming a big clump of at least 20.

Few Parodia offset so readily, and none of those I know resemble your cuttings. Echinopsis and G. mesopotamicum offset frequently. Should be easier to say what it is if you can get a picture of the mother plant.

[jmoney]

They definitely look more like Echinopsis to me.

[J-M]

Thank you all for your thoughts. You are probably right and comparing pictures of mature plant and the parent cacti the offsets come from, it might be Echinopsis ancistrophora !

[luddhus]

Have you checked Lobivia arachnacantha?

[J-M]

Yes, from what I can find on the subject, it seems that Echinopsis ancistrophora and Lobivia arachnacantha are two different names for the same cacti.