Echnocereus during dormancy

[Joel143]

Have a question concerning a Echinocereus mojavensis I have outdoors; this being its first winter (with me) and my first time growing an echinocereus. I've read that these and other cold hardy cactus tend to shrink and get wrinkly during their winter dormancy period. BUT....when this happens do they get soft? Mine I have where it gets minimal moisture from the cold rain. On closer inspection when touching it, its not its usual firm self, its soft. Is this normal? Or would I have rot setting in? I would have to dig it up to fully check. I did remove some of the soil being able to see below the soil level. The cactus below the soil seems a purplish color and is soft to the touch. Tugged alittle on what roots I could see and they were firm. Again everything looks normal....to me except for being soft. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Don't know if a photo would help. Can post one if needed.

[Saxicola]

Pictures would help. However, the reason the plant is shrinking and getting wrinkly is because it has lost a fair bit of water. For the most part the rigidity of a cactus comes from it being "inflated" with water (a big, older cactus that has become woody is a different story). So it is perfectly normal for a cactus to become softer this time of year. Of course, rot can cause this too, so if you aren't sure the best thing you can do is show us pictures and do your best to inspect the base and roots of the plant without disturbing the plant too much.

[peterb]

You are growing E. mojavensis outside in Louisiana? That's interesting to me. The plant is a real dry, dry desert rat, although it does get some winter rain in habitat.

Anyway, there's only two ways to know at this point if it's rot for sure. One is to wait and see. The other is to take a stem cutting or two and inspect the innards.

peterb

[Joel143]

Peterb - its protected mostly from the elements. Its in a small raised bed within a small temp greenhouse that I made mainly to protect it from all our winter rain. I think I will take your advice and leave it and see. I rather not disturb the root system at this time. Worse case, if it is rot, there are 5 pups that I can remove.

[Andy_CT]

I've found my claret cups to be a bit on the soft side even when full of water. Best to wait and see.

You are growing E. mojavensis outside in Louisiana? That's interesting to me. The plant is a real dry, dry desert rat, although it does get some winter rain in habitat.

Aren't there mojavensis plants up near Big Bear Lake? pretty wet/white in the winter at times.

I've got two plants growing in my garden and neither flinched at the 77 inches of rain I got in 2011.

[Joel143]

Well Im keeping my fingers crossed that its nothing. Time will tell. As far as plants up near Big Bear Lake....sorry not familiar with California. But as you mention in your area getting a lot of rain, hoping they will do fine here.

[peterb]

Yeah, good points Andy, I was thinking of the ones I have seen in more xeric habitats. I wonder if mojavensis is actually not just one species. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out there are some geographical races of it.

peterb

[hoteidoc]

Like Andy, my 2 plants survived their 1st Winter last year with only large pots over them & I hadn't added the extra gravel then. Had a lot of gray & every 3 or 4th day of precip during Winter. Summer was very dry for this area!