Identification help

[sometimes]

Hello everyone,

This cactus was a gift and I'd like to know what I can do to give it the best care. I haven't seen it flower. It's about 5 inches tall, 7 inches in diameter.

At the very least, I can assume this is a desert cactus, right?

Thanks so much for your help!

[CactusFanDan]

A badly etiolated Ferocactus? I can't really tell, because of the severe etiolation.

[CoronaCactus]

Agreed. It has not been in enough sunlight and has stretched looking for light. It will take several years to correct the problem and get it back to a somewhat normal form of top growth. It will never be "normal" again. Well, actually in time the stretched growth will be hidden and it will "appear" normal.

Acclimate it slowly to more sunlight, as the tips are very weak and will sunburn instantly. Then sit back and wait.

[sometimes]

Thanks so much for your help! I will do my best to treat it right.

[Saxicola]

One problem people have with houseplants of all types is underestimating how much light they need. Humans instinctively "balance" the way we perceive light in a room such that the area near a window doesn't appear to us much brighter than the wall on the other side of the room. But if you used a light meter the difference would be drastic and it starts declining rapidly as soon as a couple feet from the window. Plants can tell the difference and when there isn't enough light they starve and get very stretched out like your plant. The reason so many people have Philodendrons and Dracenas is they are more tolerant of low light levels than most plants (they don't love it, but they can take it).

I would start by putting it in a window that doesn't get a lot of direct sunlight but is otherwise bright. Over time (months) you can move it around to where it gets more and more direct sunlight. Actually, if you are in the northern hemisphere you could even put it outside on your porch (in bright shade, not direct sun) now and let it spend the summer outside. (if you are somewhere like Australia I'd wait until next spring). If you live in a warm enough climate you could even leave it out all year. By late summer you may have it toughened up enough to get full sunlight all day, which is what it really wants but can't handle right now.

[sometimes]

Thank you so much for the detailed info, Saxicola!

I was thinking something along those lines, nice to have guidance by an expert. Right now it's in the southern window, which actually gets only 3 hours of direct sun... I thought about putting it outside but I was worried about too much sun/cold temperatures (I am in Boston... my friend kept it indoors, which probably accounts for its etiolation, I guess). I have a Verilux lamp that I was thinking might be good for it at some point. My front porch gets lots of direct sun and when it's ready I hope to put it out there.

[hoteidoc]

Sometimes - I wouldn't worry too much about too much sun in Boston! , esp. this time of year! I'd be much more careful @ keeping dry. Most Fero's are good to @ least 32f, some to 25, a few colder. I'm in upstate NY & have all my Fero's out on deck (broken tree shade) by Memorial Day!
Peter

[sometimes]

Ha, OK, I was just worried because of CoronaCactus's advice... acclimate it slowly. Thanks for all the advice!

[jnspire]

I would acclimate any cactus to direct sunlight slowly.
I have had plants under lights that got burned.
But, once they have acclimated your only concerns would be rain and bad bugs.

[sometimes]

Hi all,

Not sure if everyone who replied is still around, but I wanted to thank you all again for helping me with this cactus. After the last two and half years in the sun (taking it inside for our chilly winters of course) it looks much healthier, AFAIK. Posting these in case anyone wants to see the progress. The first picture is taken from the same angle as the old one.

[One Windowsill]

Well saved!

[cactushobbyman]

Great save indeed. Maybe Ferocactus glaucescens.

[Rod Smith]

That's great progress and testament to your patience and care.

[Tiggy]

Well done! Wouldn't know that they were the same plants.

Susi