Cristate mutation identification help!!

[ebraze]

I found a cactus with some type of cristate mutation but I don't know which species it is!! Any help would be greatly appreciated !!!

image.jpeg (54.21 KiB) Viewed 1702 times

[teo]

Probably a monstrose Cereus peruvianus

[jmoney]

Looks like a 'Ming Thing' to me. Cereus forbesii monstrose

[WayneByerly]

i have two ... Cereus Forbesii monstrose ... one JUST like yours with VERY few spines

2015-12-05 002.jpg (56.78 KiB) Viewed 1636 times

and one with considerably more spines

2015-12-05 001.jpg (50.96 KiB) Viewed 1636 times

[teo]

Have a look at Cereus jamacaru monstrose for the second one.

[jmoney]

The first picture in WayneByerly's post is 'Ming Thing' Cereus forbesii monstrose.

The second picture is definitely something entirely different, Cereus jamacaru monstrose.

I happen to have both of those.

[DaveW]

Sometimes identifying mutants is difficult. Often the only way to be sure is if a stem reverts to natural growth.

Mammillaria 'Fred' was only identified as being a mutant Mammillaria bocasana when one produced a normal offset.

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/MAMMIL ... istata.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3448/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Do crested and monstrose plants grow slower than normal ones?

Yes and no. Initially it appears that many crested species grow faster which is not surprising as there are many more growth points. But this increased rate of tissue production seems to have its limits, and when the plant tissues begin to become crowded, they often seem to cease growth, and often even form isolated spots of ‘defasciation' (reversion to normal growth), and several columns of normal plant material will erupt from this stalled crest formation. Most growers of prized crested plants will quickly remove these areas of reversion so the plant will concentrate its efforts on keeping the crested tissues happy and alive (and cool looking)."

As the quote from the above link says there are differences of opinion as to what to do with reversions. Monstrose growth (cristates or monstrose) usually grow slower than normal growth, therefore some recommend removing any reversions since they grow at the expense of the monstrose part. However I have seen a few where both normal and monstrose growth seem to exist quite happily together.

[jmoney]

Not to get too off topic here Dave but can the normal growth that are removed be planted as a regular cutting and be grown independently as a 'normal' plant?

[DaveW]

Usually yes. Of course with any cactus, it or any of it's shoots could go monstrose, or even produce sports which are different to the rest of the plant and even variegated, but the reversions seldom do go monstrose again as far as I'm aware. If you want to start a new sport. cristate or monstrose plant you have to take a cutting of the sport or monstrose part.

In many plants sports are often how different garden flower colours arise which are then removed and bred for that feature:-

http://www.gardenseeker.com/roses/rose-plant-sports.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=259" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Reversions:-

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=273" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jmoney]

Usually yes. Of course with any cactus, it or any of it's shoots could go monstrose, but the reversions seldom do go monstrose again as far as I'm aware. If you want to start a new cristate or monstrose plant you have to take a cutting of the monstrose part.

Thanks! Very helpful information!