Montrose varieties

[Barefoot_Ted]

Howdy Folks

I have seen some really interesting photos of cacti that are labeled monstrose.

Is this a defect or mutation?

Some of them look really interesting to me.

Here is an example from http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desertec ... armons.htm:



This page does give a partial answer to my question:

This giant cardon cactus has produced a branch with abnormal, fan-shaped growth, often termed a "monstrose" growth form, unlike the normal, cylindrical growth. Such events are quite rare in wild plants (but a more spectacular example of this can be found in saguaro cacti). Commercial cactus growers sometimes induce this type of growth form by damaging the meristem of a plant, to produce a decorative effect. In field conditions this abnormality might arise from damage caused by frost or an insect, etc. Once it has been formed, this type of growth is often perpetuated in all the subsequent growth of the branch - as in this case, where monstrose sub-branches have developed from the original branch.

Which somewhat answers my next question: is it possible to create this effect?

Best, Barefoot Ted

[tillie]

Oooooh I've seen those! They were labled as "monster cactus" and apparently, after they fan out awhile they start to wave in and about... I thought they were those brain cacti I hear about. It says they are modified by cutting the stem, so I imagine if you cut a diagonal part off the top of a sanguaro it might produce one from there... I wouldn't try it until I knew for sure, though.

[templegatejohn]

Hi BT and Tillie,

Monstrose cacti are normally formed when a stem or body of a plant is damaged at the growing point.

If the plant is wanted as a monstrose form all parts that begin to grown normally are detached to leave only the monstrose part. This is just a quick post it can be more involved than that but I am in the middle of packing my suitcase.

PS Monstrose plants do nor normally flower.

Cheers,

John