pereskiopsis

hob · Post by **hob** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:12 pm

i keep seeing pics of this covered in lush green leaves used for grafting. my question is what do you grow it in and how often to water.

i was given 4 3 inch long cuttings about a year ago and managed to root them in my usual gritty cactus mix and they grew ok but as they get taller the lower leaves turn brown and fall off and they never produced any side shoots either

.........now i have 4 plants about a foot tall single stemmed with a few leaves on the top 2 inches

what am i doing wrong

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:47 pm

Hello Hobs, Not sure whats wrong? maybe to dry?
I have only been growing the stuff 6 months or so not alot of experience here.
But I am growing it inside my green house in part shade. Im using my standard cacti mix, nothing special and keeping the soil moist all the time. Its growing like a weed and the leaves stay on all the way to the soil level.

phil_SK · Post by **phil_SK** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:39 pm

Mine are in just multipurpose compost and are also ~12" tall, unbranched, but with leaves on the top 10". I gave them a bit of water over winter but not enough to keep them growing. Having started rewatering recently, they're getting going again. In the summer last year they were constantly damp.

The key seems to be to forget that they are cacti.

hob · Post by **hob** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:48 pm

that's what i was thinking, compost too free draining and not enough water.
I will probably chop them up re pot the bottoms try to root the tops again and even see if I can root the mid sections using rooting powder and multi purpose compost.

mikayak · Post by **mikayak** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:53 pm

Howdy Hob,

You made me laugh. I always am envious of your collection....and your having trouble with Pereskiopsis!!??!

I haven't been able to kill the stuff. I bought a bunch last winter and shared some with Cactusbutt and, I must have hundreds of pots full by now. I just use regular. standard cactus mix.

Stuck them outside in summer. I tried using dozens for grafting - but, for some reason, grafting = killing seedlings. I've acheived only 3 successful grafts in about 200 tries - but thats another topic.

I had dropped dozens of 1-2cm longs "top parts" when I grafted - and they all rooted and grew too. I thought of them as Kalanchoes with spines.

Now, over the winter, I just shoved them under a table in the back of my basement (dark & cold!) and all of the leaves dried up and fell off (they still stuck me every time I went to flip a circuit breaker though). I just put them outside a few days ago and they are already "livening up".

I am constantly trying grafting with them. And, since my grafts NEVER work, I end up with 4 inch long pieces with no top - which then grow lots of branches.

I sure wish I had less PEreskiopsis ans more successful grafts!

hob · Post by **hob** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:51 pm

well it was chop time today

before

after (tops and middles)

bottoms

all in general purpose compost with no added ingredients

Post by **daiv** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:43 am

Looks good Hob!

lordarutha · Post by **lordarutha** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:04 am

Mine are exactly the same Hob, I thought it was down to mine not having enough heat. I got ten cuttings as well as 3 rooted. The rooted are doing ok although like yours they don't have many leaves but I am struggling to get the cuttings to root. They have been in my heated prop for two weeks now and they just keep going wrinkly even though they are watered on a regular basis.

Lewis_cacti · Post by **Lewis_cacti** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:19 am

I got given some pereskiopsis cuttings recently as well.

the bottom leaves have fallen off and the remaining ones higher up on the stems are starting to go limp and shrivelling. hopefully they will root soon, it is supposed to be quite easy to root them. paul yours are in a heated propagator so they should root in no time!
yes hob, yours a definately in need of way more water... they should be kept slightly moist at all times i was told.

MichaelCactus · Post by **MichaelCactus** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:30 am

Look alot different without leaves to the ones ive seen, most ive seen are full of leaves. I might have to find some for a graft i think.

cactusbutt · Post by **cactusbutt** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:27 am

I like to root mine in water,I get roots in about 2/3
the time as rooting in soil.

lordarutha · Post by **lordarutha** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:11 am

Mine are all starting to throw out new leaves now, I keep them moist and have given them plenty of Chempak cacti fertilizer.

hob · Post by **hob** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:52 am

mine are doing nothing

they really don't like me

thanks Bob i pulled 2 out and dropped them in some water.

Loph · Post by **Loph** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:38 pm

3 things will ensure very fast easily rooted peresk!

HEAT+HUMIDITY+GOOD LIGHT=too many pereskiopsis!

all my pereskiopsis live outdoors year round. this means they get 40+ degree weather, 100% humidity and sometimes 50cm an hour rains in typhoons. they love heat and water, give them lots. they will grow fast without fertilizers, but i add manure into my pots cause they also like poop

dont bother with sand, use a good quality potting soil, one you would use for your ficus. honestly, i use repotting left overs for them

here is a guide.

lordarutha · Post by **lordarutha** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:58 pm

Thanks for that Loph, informative and very funny.