Help needed with my new 'Monkey Tail' cactus

[BobD]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and to collecting cacti, but I'm asking for some help with a new cactus that I bought last weekend (8th August 2021).

I believe that it's a 'Monkey tail' cactus, but the plant was unlabelled and the sales person wasn't an expert.

I've attached some photos to show the problem(s). To my inexpert eye the plant looks dry and dull, but the main problems are:
1. There is a large brown section around one of the stems, like the flesh has been eaten away. Above and below this section the stem seems OK.
2. There is one big crack in the skin and several other smaller ones - possibly the plant was overwatered at some point? I've checked the moisture level in the pot and it seems sufficiently dry now.

The sales person said that she thought there was some pest 'inside' the plant that had eaten it, but that doesn't look right to me.

I've got it in quarantine until I know what to do with it. My thinking is that I can cut off the stem below the brown section, then replant the good part growing beyond it?

I've looked around the internet to see if there are any examples like this, but haven't seen anything similar.

Can anyone advise please on whether this is a pest or disease, and if so, which one?

Thanks and best wishes,

Bob D (from Nice, in the South of France)

Problem 1.jpg (99.79 KiB) Viewed 1180 times

[jerrytheplater]

Hi Bob

You really need a very long reply, and I can't really do it now, but

1 Your plants should really be repotted in a mix better suited for cacti growth long term. This will allow you to check out your roots and the base of the plants for rot. I suppose you know that you need to let your plants dry out for a week or more after taking them out of their pots and rinsing away all of the peat moss plant mix. Cacti will rot if you don't let them dry out. You need more inert material in your pot.

Check out this page for some culture information, which I can't give as I've never grown Monkey Tail cacti. Maybe some will come on and confirm if it is a Monkey Tail for sure. http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... ademononis

2 The plant with the sunken brown section really needs to be cut above and below the brown section. If the stump has a good root system, it will probably make you a bunch of new stems. You can grow them a bit and cut off and let callous and repot. The upper part needs to be cut until the cut surface looks nice and green without any brown sections showing. Make sure you sterilize your knife between cuts. Once you get all green, set the plant away for a few weeks till the cut surface gets all dried out and calloused. Now you can repot. If you pot a freshly cut cacti, it will rot and die.

3 The split looks like the plant was overwatered and it split. Leave it alone, it will heal and grow.

[MikeInOz]

What Jerry said. Plus, I don't think that's a monkey tail.

[BobD]

Thanks for the quick replies Jerry and Mike.

@ Jerry, I'll try the cutting/repotting route and see how it goes. I'll post an update once I see some results.

@Mike, I have my doubts about it being a 'Monkey Tail' too, but the garden centres around here really are poor and provide very little information.

Thanks again and all the best,

Bob

[MikeInOz]

the garden centres around here really are poor and provide very little information.

Well living in the south of France is good compensation!