Do you like cristate or monstrose forms in cacti?

[Mrs.Green]

As the heading says, do you like them or not? Why do you like/ dislike them? I do have an opinion on these forms but I don’t want to reveal it yet

[jerrytheplater]

I really don't like either form. I would rather see the plant as it grows out in the wild. Totally personal preference.

[One Windowsill]

They look sick and unhappy to me. Like the less neat forms of variegation that are caused by virus infection, they make me think the plant is suffering. There are many other succulents that come in monstrous and cristate forms. I would not want to own one.

Edited to add: Did you know you can create a poll when you make a new topic?

[MrXeric]

I think those forms can make for interesting plants, but I am not a fan of them and would not go out of my way to acquire one. The one cristate cactus I do like is the crested form of Myrtillocactus geometrizans. I find it very sculptural, almost baroque.

[Mrs.Green]

Thank you all for participating One Windowsill; thank you! I didn’t know that so now I have created a poll too

[DaveW]

To pose the question in a different way. Would you have a two headed cat, a three eyed hamster or a six legged dog as a pet? Cristates and monstrosities are simply these aberrations in plants.

As you have gathered I do not like them or grow them. Whenever one has formed on any of my plants I have swapped it with somebody who likes them for a normal plant. Luckily they seem to be highly prized therefore you usually get back a better normal plant than the monstrose you swapped.

For those who do like them reversions (producing normal growth) usually grow at the expense of the cristate or monstrose growth and should normally be removed. Rather akin to grafts where pups on the grafting stock tend to grow at the expense of the scion.

[anttisepp]

As an exception I have some which are very pretty, eg Haageocereus versicolor cristata and classic Cereus peruvianus monstrosa, but as a rule I rather normal plants.
Sometimes it's easier to obtain cristate than normal wanted plant and I get it and wait until it gives normal growth, eg Pygmaeocereus densiaculeatus.

[A_G_R]

I love cristates!! I've seen a few Saguaro crests in habitat and they are magnificent.

[Mrs.Green]

To pose the question in a different way. Would you have a two headed cat, a three eyed hamster or a six legged dog as a pet? Cristates and monstrosities are simply these aberrations in plants.

As you have gathered I do not like them or grow them. Whenever one has formed on any of my plants I have swapped it with somebody who likes them for a normal plant. Luckily they seem to be highly prized therefore you usually get back a better normal plant than the monstrose you swapped.

For those who do like them reversions (producing normal growth) usually grow at the expense of the cristate or monstrose growth and should normally be removed. Rather akin to grafts where pups on the grafting stock tend to grow at the expense of the scion.

The sad truth is, a lot of people would have wanted these abnormal animals you mention and on top of that paid you a lot of money for them too.. Even though there aren’t animals like the ones you mentioned here on the market, there are other monstrosities , especially in dogs, readily available. The owners don’t seem to care about the fact that these dogs often have horrible lives, as long as they live

I don’t like monstrose or cristate plants myself, to me they just look sickly .

[One Windowsill]

The sad truth is, a lot of people would have wanted these abnormal animals you mention and on top of that paid you a lot of money for them too.. Even though there aren’t animals like the ones you mentioned here on the market, there are other monstrosities , especially in dogs, readily available. The owners don’t seem to care about the fact that these dogs often have horrible lives, as long as they live

I discovered that the neighbours had bought a French bulldog during lockdown by turning out of my front door and being confronted by a poor, distorted overbred monster. Unfortunately, the neighbour saw the look on my face and now knows my feelings about "pedigree" dogs that have been bred to suffer and die early.

[Mrs.Green]

The sad truth is, a lot of people would have wanted these abnormal animals you mention and on top of that paid you a lot of money for them too.. Even though there aren’t animals like the ones you mentioned here on the market, there are other monstrosities , especially in dogs, readily available. The owners don’t seem to care about the fact that these dogs often have horrible lives, as long as they live

I discovered that the neighbours had bought a French bulldog during lockdown by turning out of my front door and being confronted by a poor, distorted overbred monster. Unfortunately, the neighbour saw the look on my face and now knows my feelings about "pedigree" dogs that have been bred to suffer and die early.

Oops..I guess asking them if they have seen ‘Pedigree dogs exposed’ would not help much...



But back to the cristate/ monstrose cacti; do this affects the blooming ? On top of my head I can’t remember to have seen many pics of such cacti in bloom?

[samhain]

I adore them. I don’t find normal growth boring, but definitely appreciate them more. Especially finding them growing in habitat, have come across multiple cylindropuntia, saguaro, cardon. Fan crests just can’t be beat, high on my list of things to look at.

I’d also gladly take care of an animal with the aforementioned aberrations.

[Carbo]

I generally don't like them, but I certainly understand why some people would find them appealing.
I like Cereus spegazzinii f. cristatus, it looks like a blue coral right out of the ocean:


M. elongata f. cristata - not a fan, but it looks like a brain so it's a curiosity:


I'm not sure why I mostly don't like them but I think it's because I like vigorous, healthy and hardy plants in general, which these are not. I even prefer wild forms of plants over their variegated versions, just look how much nice lush growth my green plectranthus coleoides has over it's variegated cousin:



I was surprised that the poll shows most people don't prefer them either, cool discussion

[7george]

I was surprised that the poll shows most people don't prefer them either, cool discussion

Well, political correctness: it is the same as if you declare that do not like cripples...

I like only those having some normal stems or offsets along with cristates. Also blooming ones.

[Mrs.Green]

I was surprised that the poll shows most people don't prefer them either, cool discussion

Well, political correctness: it is the same as if you declare that do not like cripples...

I like only those having some normal stems or offsets along with cristates. Also blooming ones.

I can only speak for myself, but I assure you; it’s not political correctnes that has formed my opinion on such plants It’s more like an instant gut feeling ; ‘that plant looks sick’ reaction. I can assure you; I am not known for my political correctnes..

But back to my question that may have disappeared in the thread; do cristate/monstrose cacti bloom less than the natural ones?