Flower tube falls off after watering.

[billdee]

I have a Echinocactus subdenudata (fuzzy navel) I've had it in my care for 5yrs. Last year was the first time it budded in my care. The first bud was coming along nicely, but after I watered it the flower tube fell off ftom a slight touch. It started another bud shortly after and same thing happened again. I watered it and flower tube fell off, any ideas whats going on.?

[george76904]

I'm not sure I understand, when you say "flower tube" do you mean that it had already bloomed and it was just the tube? Because the flowers on most (I'm presuming echinopsis) do not last for more than a day or two. So if it has already bloomed it may very well just be a spent flower. However sometimes they are touchy to that sort of thing. How long are you usually watering? Especially in this time of year most cacti are dormant, and water could wake them up which could also disturb any forming buds.
Hope this helps,
Will

[DaveW]

If a plant has flowered and the flower has not set a fruit it will fall off on some genera, though on others where they will stay attached for a year or so. However flower buds can also abort if conditions are not right, and with some genera too early watering will start the plant into growth before the buds are set and they will abort. With the early flowering Echinocereus I would withhold water at the beginning of the year until the buds are well set, or even starting to open before watering. The plant has enough reserves within it's body to flower without needing additional water. Note that only applies to genera that set their buds before they commence growth after dormancy at the start of the year, not those that flower later in the year when normal growth and watering has commenced. See also:-

http://forum.bcss.org.uk/viewtopic.php? ... tia#p45278" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[7george]

I think we are talking about Echinopsis subdenudata and the author means buttons, buds falling before to open. Because buds usually fall off if a fruit is not set up.

Common Echinopsis cacti are not water sensitive, so have to be other changing factor is causing this. This could be moving or rotating of the plant, light conditions altering or ... this plant just needs a soil change? And a bloom in January, Wisconsin is quite unusual - these plants get in flower summer time mostly. Maybe the plant is kept in quite warm place and changing winterly weather interrupts normal bloom?

[DaveW]

You are no doubt correct George. I thought "Echinocactus subdenudata" might be a mistake for Echinocereus subinermis rather than Echinopsis subdenudata. American cultivar names like "Fuzzy Navel" mean nothing to us over here. I see also searching the web that this cultivar name has also been applied to E. ancistrophora.

http://allthingsplants.com/plants/view/ ... zzy-Navel/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://oregoncactus.blogspot.co.uk/2013 ... vel-m.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;