Hello all,
Do need some help in a hurry, please.
E. texensis which just put out the first flower
of the season started to show a white powder
substance gradually. >>>[fungus]?
After bloom started to dry and wither I noticed
a "white powder" the size of a single grain of salt
start to appear where the flower appeared.
Now it has started to spread over the entire body
of the plant.
I have never had this happen to any of my cacti
and I am not sure what the problem really is.
I ask for sugesstions or how to specifically treat
this.
Thank you in advance, Lefty
Echino. texensis - White powder - fungus ?
I do not have any experience observing a white powdery growth on a cactus. However, there are a few fungi that will produce mycelium and fruit bodies which could be white. Those would be growing generally on dead tissue. Is your plant soft to the touch or did it discolor prior to you noticing the whitish powder appear? Also, could you please place a digital image with your post?
If the white discoloration is indeed a fungus, then things are not looking too promising in my opinion. If you use a magnifying glass, what does the white area look like? A hyphomycete fungus, such as Penicillium sp. or an oomycete like the bread mold fungus Rhizopus both form a flat mycelium from which stem-like structures arise. These do bear the spores. You could also have possibly an insect infestation problem. Some kinds of "bugs" like mealy bugs will also look white. That is, why it is important to place the area under magnification in order to see what is actually present.
Harald
If the white discoloration is indeed a fungus, then things are not looking too promising in my opinion. If you use a magnifying glass, what does the white area look like? A hyphomycete fungus, such as Penicillium sp. or an oomycete like the bread mold fungus Rhizopus both form a flat mycelium from which stem-like structures arise. These do bear the spores. You could also have possibly an insect infestation problem. Some kinds of "bugs" like mealy bugs will also look white. That is, why it is important to place the area under magnification in order to see what is actually present.
Harald
Tnx Harald,
Well this afternoon I tried to remove this
powdery substance. At first I used a cotton
"Q-tip", several in fact, ...I was able to
dislodge small portions.
But the area most affected, beginning from the
top of the plant, was covered with spines and the Q-tip swab was to difficult to use so I purchased a
small paint brush about 1/2 inch wide.
I did remove about 95% of the white powder with the
paint brush
Surprised how easily it flaked off
into the sink.
The question remains, ...will it return ?
Warm weather is just around the corner in the North-
East region of the U.S. where I live so growing
conditions will deff. change for the better
This E.texensis was perfectly healthy other than the
mentioned white powder substance.
Cheers, Lefty
Well this afternoon I tried to remove this
powdery substance. At first I used a cotton
"Q-tip", several in fact, ...I was able to
dislodge small portions.
But the area most affected, beginning from the
top of the plant, was covered with spines and the Q-tip swab was to difficult to use so I purchased a
small paint brush about 1/2 inch wide.
I did remove about 95% of the white powder with the
paint brush
Surprised how easily it flaked offinto the sink.
The question remains, ...will it return ?
Warm weather is just around the corner in the North-
East region of the U.S. where I live so growing
conditions will deff. change for the better
This E.texensis was perfectly healthy other than the
mentioned white powder substance.
Cheers, Lefty
What does the plant look like underneath? Does it have the same color than the part that is unaffected? Is the stem (body) firm or soft? Your telling us, that the whitish powder does readily flake off could mean, that all you had was a salt or calcium build-up. But that would be limited to the area very close to the soil line. You did not mention, that there was anything alive present in the white areas. Did you spray that plant with any kind of chemical? This could also cause a residue to form once the chemical dries. If the plant is firm and the white powdery substance does not spread or re-appear things are most likely fine with your plant.
Harald
Harald