Does this plant have any merit?

[sundanz]

I'm talking about the grafted cactus that has a colorful balloon type flower on top. Mine has a yellow on but I have seen them at garden shops in many different colors. What is this? Do they grow? Is the flower real? My flower has 2 babies attached to it. What is this plant called? I'm stumped. I have a feeling no serious cactus gardener would have this in their collection. Do I need to get rid of it?
Well, I'm new to Cacti but striving to become more serious....

Pictures iphone 014.jpg (45.89 KiB) Viewed 886 times

[tumamoc]

They call those 'moon cactus'. It's a Gymnocalycium scion grafted onto Hylocereus sp. stock. If I'm not mistaken, the gymno can't produce its own chlorophyll, so it needs the stock plant to survive. It's not for everyone, but there are definitely cacti hobbyists who collect them.

[amanzed]

Could be a fun guinea pig for experimenting and learning grafting technique. For instance, if you can get the Hylocereus stock to branch, you can cut off the branch and use it for your own grafting stock. You can practice cutting off the extra heads and grafting them onto your growing supply of self-produced grafting rootstock. All of these uses will still leave your original grafted cacti undamaged for you to enjoy (and…to continue to wonder about their esthetics).

[sundanz]

Wouldn't that take a long time? So far I see no branch and I was wondering if it was even alive! I was thinking cutting off the head a few millimeters below the head to see if it will grow a branch. What's stopping me is the head because I don't know what to do with it.....unless I can find another plant to attach it to.

[amanzed]

Hmm, long time in cactus time? Months, years? Perhaps. It already has two new branches (new heads) on the graft. That's a start. Why not keep it around and just get more cacti to add to your collection. Then when you tire of it, sure, give it away.