Strange Saguaro

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Download
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 5:22 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Strange Saguaro

Post by Download »

Someone shared this on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/cactus/comment ... g_saguaro/

Image

As the number of ribs seems to go down at the narrow bits I assume that this plant did not enter dormancy in winter, and therefore as the amount of light reduced it etiolate slightly. Possibly because of some genetic defect?

People's thoughts?
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Tom in Tucson
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Location: NW Tucson AZ area

Re: Strange Saguaro

Post by Tom in Tucson »

My guess: rot has invaded the central core, and the external flesh is dehydrating from lack of moisture and nutrients. A high percentage of large transplanted saguaros end up looking like this before they collapse. RIP
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Steve Johnson
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Re: Strange Saguaro

Post by Steve Johnson »

Tom in Tucson wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:43 pm My guess: rot has invaded the central core, and the external flesh is dehydrating from lack of moisture and nutrients.
Agreed -- all of those bulges on the stem indicate a rot-induced collapse of the core.
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My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
LateBloomer
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Location: Curitiba, Brasil

Re: Strange Saguaro

Post by LateBloomer »

If you look closely its actually growing and losing ribs...

I can understand that it looks like its collapsing on its self but I think it is just gaining and losing ribs.
Download
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 5:22 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Re: Strange Saguaro

Post by Download »

LateBloomer wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:28 pm If you look closely its actually growing and losing ribs...

I can understand that it looks like its collapsing on its self but I think it is just gaining and losing ribs.
The growing and losing ribs thing is what made me think it was something other than core rot.
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K.W.
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Location: Köln, Germany - Zone 8a

Re: Strange Saguaro

Post by K.W. »

.

Good evening dear cactus friends,
I think it is a growth disorder.
It has been going on for a very long time.
On the picture you can see some spots which suggest this conclusion.

...Image

I had photographed a similar plant a few years ago.

124550Image

124552Image





Best wishes

K.W.


...
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
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