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Hi,

This Lophophora williamsii has gotten a lot of rain one month ago and became soft at the base (the lighter area). Nevertheless this is the second time it flowers.

I get the impression there is no rotten tissue but why it is soft is a mystery to me. Does anyone have an idea? Thanks.

Lophophoras are always a bit squidgy. Most of the time you don't notice because you aren't poking them. It is probably fine. If it is rotting then it will go downhill fast. You could try sniffing, rot smells a little like a mushroom.

I sniffed it and it doesn't smell like a mushroom so that's ok I guess (and I will not poke it anymore)

It looks fine. It's had a bit of a rough past but looks like it's growing fine withe nice green bits in the centre. I would put it in a pure mineral mix and then it would take a bit of rain without issue.

Thanks for your advice. Right after I bought it, it looked like this:
Then I repotted it using this mix: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=37397#p324249

Yeah that looks way too organic. The bits of wood hold a lot of water far too long. It can also harbour a lot of nastie fungi. This is the mix I use with my lophophora no soil and no organics just crushed rocks.

Luckily all of my other Lophophora look like yours. The one on the photo is an exception. Next time I will try anorganic only. Bit off topic but do you or did you use cat litter?

Yeah I do include cat litter it's pretty good stuff it hold water the right amount and keeps air pockets too.

It might have just got a bit sun burnt if it was out in the rain. The water magnifies the light and can scotch them. It looks healthy enough so the brown bits will grow out.

Aaand it flowered again, for the third or fourth time this year

Lophophoras are always a bit squidgy. It doesn't mean they're thirsty and it doesn't necessarily mean they're dying. The discoloured mottling looks like mite damage. Flowers come all summer, seemingly out of nowhere especially when there is wool to hide the buds. Should be self-fertile, watch out for fruit.

Thanks Ian. Fruit is to be expected next year right? Or sooner?
I didn't see any mites (I check regularly with a magnifying glass) but I noticed that 'corking' of Lophophora sometimes occurs (because of temperature/humidity change?) and it looks like mite damage. Some of the new Lophophora that I put in the living room got this corking and they grew out of it in a year or so.
Would it be mite damage then it would have spread across my other plants which it didn't. At least, that is my theory.

widea wrote:I didn't see any mites (I check regularly with a magnifying glass) but I noticed that 'corking' of Lophophora sometimes occurs (because of temperature/humidity change?) and it looks like mite damage.

Could be flat mites, which vex me occasionally. I call them "hit and run" pests because they do their damage and leave the scene of the crime before you know they were even there. Of course a systemic miticide would be wonderful, although I don't know if such a thing is available. (I've tried and tried and tried -- apparently not, at least here in the US.)

The scars will grow out pretty quick any way. I had a diffusa which got damaged on the top and 2 or so years later and there is not a mark left. Is the third one down and third across in that picture I uploaded.