Root tuber gone wrong
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Root tuber gone wrong
Yesterday I removed an Echinocereus leucanthus (Wilcoxia albiflora) from its pot to give it fresher, looser soil (pumice) and discovered that one of the root tubers it normally grows was like a jelly-filled bladder. When squeezed lightly, a lot of relatively clear slime oozed out. I cut off the root to which it was attached and I'm letting it dry in a shady spot now. I know that root tubers are normal for this cactus, but what happened to this one? Rot? Disease? Is another one likely to form? The cactus itself looks fine, and it actually has a lot of multiple new growths starting from its two branches.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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- Posts: 3194
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Re: Root tuber gone wrong
Apparently no one is familiar with this problem? I've already repotted the cactus, so please let me know quickly if I've done something incorrect.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
Re: Root tuber gone wrong
Is it too late for a picture of the affected portion of the plant?
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- Posts: 3194
- Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
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Re: Root tuber gone wrong
Unfortunately, yes. The tuber was attached to just one root. It was the size of a lima bean and was filled with a clear gelatinous substance. It had no smell to speak of. I quickly cut it off--along with the rest of the root--and tossed it. All the other tubers (maybe 3 or 4) were firm and everything else looked normal. I saw no insects crawling around. Is it possible that just this one tuber rotted in the dense soil? I guess the soil became compacted after a year; I didn't intend for it to hold so much water. The cactus is now in pumice, diatomaceous earth and very porous aquarium grit.tumamoc wrote:Is it too late for a picture of the affected portion of the plant?
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
- CactusFanDan
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Re: Root tuber gone wrong
Probably rot. Doesn't sound healthy whatever happened to it.