cereus in trouble

beba · Post by **beba** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:13 pm

I wonder if there is anything i can do to save my cereus peruvianus monstrose. I found some mealy bugs on it a while ago. I washed it and prayed with a general bug killer and left it outside the window. I then noticed that it wasn't well as it became limp and inspected the roots to find that the base was soggy and looked like this

What can I do?
Thanks for your help everyone.

hablu · Post by **hablu** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm

Maybe you can save the upper part of the cactus. Cut it of; dry it and try to reroot it. Harry

Post by **daiv** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:30 pm

Looks like you've got enough material left to re-start it. Be prepared, however, as it might continue to rot even though it is out of the ground. I found that even when moved to drier conditions, there is still excess water working it's way up the stem. Cut it clean above the rotted area and then let it heal over for 2 weeks. Then stick it in moist soil just deep enough to keep it from tipping over. Then wait another few weeks before watering at all. Water sparingly thereafter until you see growth again.

Buck Hemenway · Post by **Buck Hemenway** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:22 pm

Beba,

You need to clean all of the flesh that does not look healthy and green. If you cut across the stem and find mostly green and a dark spot, thats what Daiv is talking about. Just keep cutting, as hard as that is to do until you have all green fresh looking flesh. Then let it dry for weeks. Never makes sense to me, but that's what the plant wants. In the mean time you should be able to take off the side shoots separately and root them if you need to go too far up the main stem.

Franj · Post by **Franj** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:32 pm

Hi Beba,

Just to clarify some things with your situation. It wasn't the mealies that caused the rot, it was most likely overwatering. Like the other have said you might be able to save a cutting. I've found they root fairly fast and easily for me.

Also it's not a Cereus peruvianus monstrose. It's a cultivar called "Camelot" that is thought by some to be a monstrose form of Cereus repandus or others C. jamacaru. Could be there are monstrose forms of both out there on the market given the same cultivar name. I have several of these and there does seem to be a couple or maybe even a few variations. One of mine grows more columnar and has soft copper colored spines. Another is more compact and has gold spines. The same plant? I really don't know.

Good luck in saving it,

Franj

Plantcelot · Post by **Plantcelot** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:02 pm

Hello Beba

I really hope that you get to save some of it. It is not a good idea to use a general bug killer with cactus (or any other plants), most people use special plant insecticides, or even alchool for the mealy bugs.