Hibotan Re-Grafting Questions

[jdct6000]

A couple days ago, me and a friend ended up splurging and purchasing several cacti and succulents. I purchased 2 Hibotan cacti, which brings my tally up to 3.

Later that night I decided to brush up on my care of these cacti and found out that they do not live long (a couple years at most, saddly) because the rootstock that is most commonly used with these cacti (Hylocereus undatus) is not meant to be upright in the ground and is instead meant to hang. However, I also discovered that you can re-graft them and that there are other rootstocks that could be used. The specific rootstock that caught my eye was the Myrtillocactus family, mostly because I have one and couldn't figure out what it was until a couple days ago


Now I do plan on either re-grafting or grafting their pups eventually but I do have a couple questions:

Would Hibotans bond with other roostocks like the Myrtillocactus or would it be best to stick to the same type they were grafted to before?

Would a rootstock that's meant to be rooted in the ground sustain the Hibotan for longer than the original rootstock they were grafted to? Could the Myrtillocactus be a permanent rootstock?

Are there some early warning signs that the rootstock is starting to die? I'd like to keep a watch out so I can source rootstocks before both cacti die.

Would it be better to use the original scion or use a pup as a new scion?

[greenknight]

They can be grafted on a variety of rootstocks. The growers use Hylocereus because it's easy to grow and cuttings root quickly.

I've seen it stated that Opuntias make the most permanent rootstock, since they grow along with the scion. I expect that Myrtillocactus would last longer than the Hylocereus but eventually the graft union would fail. It's easier to graft pups, but if the rootstock starts to die it would be worth a shot to try regafting the original scion.

[DaveW]

I would think they would graft on more permanent stocks like Trichocereus or Harrisia jusbertii, even some Echinopsis.

The problem trying to graft at the old graft union is the scion has become lignified there, you usually have to cut the scion a little higher up to get to soft tissue suitable to graft on a new stock, leaving the base on the old stock which hopefully will still send out more offsets.

https://laidbackgardener.blog/tag/moon-cactus/

Also see re-grafting page 20 of the link below:-

https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rho ... opic=869.0

[Dawnstar75]

I would think they would graft on more permanent stocks like Trichocereus or Harrisia jusbertii, even some Echinopsis.

The problem trying to graft at the old graft union is the scion has become lignified there, you usually have to cut the scion a little higher up to get to soft tissue suitable to graft on a new stock, leaving the base on the old stock which hopefully will still send out more offsets.

https://laidbackgardener.blog/tag/moon-cactus/

Also see re-grafting page 20 of the link below:-

https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rho ... opic=869.0

Thank you Dave! I am having so much fun with the cacti succs I have... im going to research this "permanent rootstock" you speak of. I admire your knowledge of origins of the famed Moon Cactus Gymnocalisyum mihonovichii Love it!! L