notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated specimen?
-
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated specimen?
At my garden center they were selling many Balloon Cactus. In this pot I found one tiny cactus that was dark yellow, but it's body was firm and not squishy so no sign of rot. Could this be variegated? I would of brought it but it said they get 3 feet + and I don't have space for that.
- Attachments
-
- image.jpg (62.3 KiB) Viewed 1477 times
-
- image.jpg (65.7 KiB) Viewed 1477 times
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Probably just sickly. It may come out of it though and eventually look like the others. It is hard to explain, but in general you'll know a true variegate when you see it. In this case if it were variegated I'd expect to see some green, particularly splotchy or a mosaic. This practically looks achlorophyllous, but if it really were it wouldn't have gotten that big on its own before it died. However, a sick cactus can get so pale that it looks like the chlorophyll is gone, but it comes right back when and if it starts growing again.
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
-
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
It definetly wasn't dead!vlani wrote:Looks dead.
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
This look happens when sick plat gets exposed to full sun & heat - and gets cooked. It will take some more months to dry out and look convincingly dead.
-
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Guess what, I brought it home, reported it in new soil, watered it, and the next day it's now lime green. It's not dead sorry to tell you. The roots were almost non existent but apparently it's getting better, might not be variegated but time will tell!vlani wrote:This look happens when sick plat gets exposed to full sun & heat - and gets cooked. It will take some more months to dry out and look convincingly dead.
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
That in just a few days? Would be a miracle. I would also label it as (almost) dead, and definitely not variegated (which usually is a pattern of yellow and green on the epidermis). The only plants that might fool many as being dead are many of the winter active plants during summer.
Can you show us another picture, please?
Can you show us another picture, please?
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Three feet? Maybe, but not in your lifetime. One of the bigger species though, and at least two are already a decent size. Don't expect more than another inch or two each year. When they are three feet tall you can stick one on eBay and buy a bigger greenhouse
--ian
- greenknight
- Posts: 4813
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Congratulations on a successful rescue, I didn't think it had much chance.
Spence
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
I wonder if the people telling him that thought it was an Echinocactus grusonii, assuming they meant 3' wide.iann wrote:Three feet? Maybe, but not in your lifetime. One of the bigger species though, and at least two are already a decent size. Don't expect more than another inch or two each year. When they are three feet tall you can stick one on eBay and buy a bigger greenhouse
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
-
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Ive been working hard to keep it alive and its doing better. My assumption is rot got it, most roots died, hence why is was dying from being unable to take in water. The bottom is dry and brown but under it has new white roots growing and it greened up a lot.Aiko wrote:That in just a few days? Would be a miracle. I would also label it as (almost) dead, and definitely not variegated (which usually is a pattern of yellow and green on the epidermis). The only plants that might fool many as being dead are many of the winter active plants during summer.
Can you show us another picture, please?
- Attachments
-
- DSC07530.JPG (97.05 KiB) Viewed 1268 times
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
If it is rooting it is alive. The reason for usually removing the hard brown dead stuff is new roots find it hard to penetrate and occasionally it is diseased. Sometimes it will just pull off leaving a clean disease free surface, but sometimes you need to use tweezers or a knife to peel it off. It's rather like going to the doctors if you have a dirty encrusted scab on a wound they like to remove it and let it form a thinner cleaner scab. With plants this thinner clean scab is easier to root through, but in your case the roots have penetrated it anyway so I would leave it now.
-
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Final update, the cactus is doing superb, though it still lacks the bluish green coloring, perhaps it is an odd color?
- Attachments
-
- image.jpeg (50.96 KiB) Viewed 1158 times
- greenknight
- Posts: 4813
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci
Only the new growth will have the blue color, if it develops. I think I see a bit of it starting to, but it might be a trick of the light.
Spence