Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure

[Hero878]

I just bought this cacti and the shop had a leaking roof so it was drenched. Some cacti around it were rotten but this seemed ok so for £17 I thought it was worth the gamble.
I couldn't see any discolouration and all the spikes and body of the cactus seemed firm when I inspected it instore.

I repotted it as soon as I got home and noticed below the soil level there is some discolouration, however the spots feel firm to the touch. I've potted it up in a dry cactus mix with extra pearlite added and in a clay pot.

Here are some photos of the cactus below soil level. As you can see this is a cutting not grown from seed obviously lol. At the bottom of the cutting it is brown but I think this is just natural and only looks worse because it's soaking wet.

So should I leave it for a few weeks and look out for certain signs of rot? Or should I cut it now and re-root it? I am inclined to leave it for now.

https://ibb.co/b58k4BB
https://ibb.co/vXJzQwB
https://ibb.co/qNFL8Yf
https://ibb.co/C62fhqr
https://ibb.co/D40NG37
https://ibb.co/6wc2Q44

Repotted
https://ibb.co/N9QzBDJ

Thank you as always!

[teo]

Looks like a Myrtillocactus geometrizans to me (maybe not relevant..)

[Hero878]

Looks like a Myrtillocactus geometrizans to me (maybe not relevant..)

Thanks thats interesting. But I've seen this type of cactus labelled as Polaskia Chichipe in a lot of places, usually they are more mature and have branches already. Mines got a tiny offset about 2mm big so far

I googled image Polaskia Chichipe and this one came up too, sometimes a younger one that looks like a Stenocereus. Either way its this cactus I wanted that branches out

[mikethecactusguy]

Hi
Just let it sit for a few weeks without watering. It appears to have a healthy root system from your picture. The lower portion that was covered with dirt does not appear to have started to cork yet. I'd remove the rocks for a while to let the soil breath better and dry out. Wait a few weeks to see if the "brown" area's grow. If not, you will be in the clear.
Looking through pictures I think you guess at Polaskia is right.

[Hero878]

Hi
Just let it sit for a few weeks without watering. It appears to have a healthy root system from your picture. The lower portion that was covered with dirt does not appear to have started to cork yet. I'd remove the rocks for a while to let the soil breath better and dry out. Wait a few weeks to see if the "brown" area's grow. If not, you will be in the clear.
Looking through pictures I think you guess at Polaskia is right.

Thanks! Yeah I'll keep an eye on it then and remove the pebbles to help it dry out quicker. Glad you agree with it also being a Polaskia Chichipe. I thought it was exceptionally good value at £17 because usually the ones with branches are sold for over £100 here. There's already an offset beginning to grow so hopefully it won't take too long to grow a big arm

[Hero878]

I put it out in the garden today for some full sun and it seems to have suffered very severe sun damage in only a few hours. I'm so gutted the tip has turned dark green. I'm sure it'll recover though. Just amazing how a little winter sun can damage such a big plant

https://ibb.co/C2RtFtS

[greenknight]

Sunburned areas turn pale, not dark. I don't think it's damaged.

[Hero878]

Sunburned areas turn pale, not dark. I don't think it's damaged.

Thanks, it could have been a combination of high heat and the cold evening shock. Its oozing water today :/ Im sure it will recover in a few weeks time with some scars though sadly. Nm lesson learnt!

[Hero878]

It's taken a turn for the worse leaking brown juice today

https://ibb.co/SXptztx
https://ibb.co/bdsdQgk

Can't believe how drastic it has reacted to being out in the sun for half a day. Hopefully it'll be ok in a few weeks time.

Considering it was overwatered in the garden centre, I think the drastic change in temperature I put it through caused the water inside it to expand with heat and rupture its cells.

[mikethecactusguy]

You need to slow down and take a breather. You don't say were you live so there is no way of knowing about weather conditions. Sun is not a enemy. Its how intense it is and how hot the light itself is. One never just takes an indoor plant and moves it outside into direct sun. You have to start slow.
If the skin is oozing anything, it has been damaged. Just like our own skin. Either mechanically or by a pathogen.
And honestly? You asked for advice and then ignored it.
Best of luck

[Hero878]

Thanks
I didn't think and just thought putting it outside would help it dry out quicker, in my grow shelf which has a transparent green mesh plastic cover. So it would have been like an oven inside even though I'm in the U.K. and it's only like 11 deg celcuis outside.
I've brought it back in doors now and will just leave it alone now

[esp_imaging]

This photo looks nasty:

https://ibb.co/6wc2Q44

The base of the plants seems rotten, and the brown marks up the side don't look good.
The potting mix looks dreadful - really unsuited to the plant, at least in the UK climate!

I think the plant you bought was already badly damaged / rotting internally, maybe it had literally frozen solid during the cold spell in early Feb.
If not, it perhaps it caught a chill! This can result in internal tissues being damaged but the relatively tough epidermis staying intact for rather longer. Polaksi chichipe isn't at all hardy, and considered difficult by UK hobbyists because it's not suited to most UK greenhouse conditions.
(It's not Myrtillocactus geometrizans, although that is a hardier, it still struggles without decent warmth in the UK).
Then the whole thing rots from inside. You can wait and see, but I think it's a goner.

I'm not sure a few hours in the sun have made much difference - maybe just speeded up the rotting.

FWIW, buying large imported plants in the UK is a risk in winter. It could well have been growing in a field (or even under glass) in the south of spain or the canary islands a few weeks before you bought it. Quite a shock to the system, moving here for the coldest part of the british winter!

[esp_imaging]

I've just spotted the "CACTUS CANARIAS" label on the original pot.

[esp_imaging]

To add- the original potting mix looked awful. Repotting immediately was a good choice, although probably irrelevant in this case.

[Hero878]

To add- the original potting mix looked awful. Repotting immediately was a good choice, although probably irrelevant in this case.

Thanks yea it was like normal houseplant soil. Anyways as an update turns out it's rotten inside. I cut it open.
I have saved a good chunk of it for rooting. Either way I'll probably go back to the garden centre and get some money off another plant when I next shop there.