notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated specimen?

If you have a cactus plant and need help identifying it, this is the place to post it.
keithp2012
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notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated specimen?

Post by keithp2012 »

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.
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Saxicola
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by Saxicola »

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
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vlani
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by vlani »

Looks dead.
keithp2012
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by keithp2012 »

vlani wrote:Looks dead.
It definetly wasn't dead!
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vlani
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by vlani »

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.
keithp2012
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by keithp2012 »

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.
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!
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Aiko
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by Aiko »

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?
iann
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by iann »

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
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greenknight
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by greenknight »

Congratulations on a successful rescue, I didn't think it had much chance.
Spence :mrgreen:
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Saxicola
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by Saxicola »

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 wonder if the people telling him that thought it was an Echinocactus grusonii, assuming they meant 3' wide.
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
keithp2012
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by keithp2012 »

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?
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.
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DaveW
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by DaveW »

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.
iann
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by iann »

Roots help a lot :)
--ian
keithp2012
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by keithp2012 »

Final update, the cactus is doing superb, though it still lacks the bluish green coloring, perhaps it is an odd color?
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greenknight
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Re: notocactus magnificus (Balloon cactus), variegated speci

Post by greenknight »

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 :mrgreen:
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