Is this "skinny point" going to be a problem?

[BassetsforBrown]

Will the skinny point in the middle of this Cactus become a problem for it as it grows? As the plant has grown taller/wider, this point has remained comparatively skinny. Might the weight of the upper portion of the Cactus eventually cause it to snap?

[cooky173]

In my opinion - if you treat this cereus as a standard plant and water it regularly etc etc it will probably thrive and grow quickly and snap. If you mistreat it a bit, and slow down the growth rate it will let that area harden up a bit, but it will never thicken. However the plant will take a lot longer to get to a size where that thin section will be an issue.

I see in another thread it was suggested you cut it at the bottom (I didn't really understand why...) but if you were planning to cut it, I would cut it around that thin section.

Probably the more important question to me is did that thin growth happen under your care - and if so, do you know how to prevent it? For example did it come inside last winter and throw out that weak growth? Or did you get the plant that way and its since grown ''properly'?

[BassetsforBrown]

In my opinion - if you treat this cereus as a standard plant and water it regularly etc etc it will probably thrive and grow quickly and snap. If you mistreat it a bit, and slow down the growth rate it will let that area harden up a bit, but it will never thicken. However the plant will take a lot longer to get to a size where that thin section will be an issue.

I see in another thread it was suggested you cut it at the bottom (I didn't really understand why...) but if you were planning to cut it, I would cut it around that thin section.

Probably the more important question to me is did that thin growth happen under your care - and if so, do you know how to prevent it? For example did it come inside last winter and throw out that weak growth? Or did you get the plant that way and its since grown ''properly'?

I got it at 10inches, its currently 29.5, the thin part is about half way up. If I cut it at the thin part instead of the very bottom, would it also be able to continue growing?

Essentially, could I cut it at that point, re-pot the top, and then have two Cacti that would still grow?

[cooky173]

Yes. You will have two plants. If you cut it I would do so just below the thin part and bury it as the new shoot will likely be very close to the top of the cut. Do you know why it grew thin?

[BobbyZ]

It appears that there were three growth periods in the Cereus, the last under your care was under more appropriate environmental conditions. Was this specimen always an outdoor cactus? If you want it to grow to several meters you may wish to cut at the skinniest section (it may branch), and plant the top section. Otherwise you may need to stake for support. Bobby Z

[SnowFella]

With the way these guys grow I'd expect you to get a problem in the near future, probably be much "safer" to turn it into 2 plants and discarding that skinny middle bit. Sure you will loose a few inches in the process but with the right conditions it should quickly regain it.

Here's an example, mine that was planted out as a 10 inch rooted cutting some 3 years ago, gone through 2 relocations since then and here's what it looks like this afternoon.


3 new base stems that started out last spring, winter here downunder right now.


Outpacing 2 Trichocereus plants by a mile, both these started it's new stems sometime during summer.

[BobbyZ]

Australian Friend: I like the way you staked your Cereus. Three years growth looks great. Bobby Z