Moldy stuff on Trichocereus spines?

[nitrogen]

Anybody know what this is or what its from? - my longer spines bridgesii seem to get it...

[nitrogen]

Ew sorry about the double post...

[Evil Genius]

I dont think that mold is able to attack cactus spines! Its either Bug Poo or dirt. bye Eg

[nitrogen]

Yah maybe, though it doesn't come off real well, and seems to permeate the spine.. It also isn't happening to the trichos that are planted in the ground, only the ones in the pots..

Anybody else seen this?

[Chiral]

I'd say it is some sort of fungal activity...looking at the skin of the cactus it's self, it doesn't appear to be a happy healthy green colour. There are so many types of fungal organisms...it's almost an impossible mission with some of them...perhaps the cactus is near or next to another plant that has the fungal disease, so moving the cactus away from it and giving it a spray might cure it, but it definitely does look slightly sick that plant IMO.

H.

[mac]

Some of the spots look like fly shit, are they solid ? do they scrape off with your fingernail

Edited July 1, 2009 by mac

[AndyAmine.]

Yeah I get that a lot on my cacti, it seems to be worse when there is salt water in the air?

Also spines catch a lot of morning dew whihc can then catch dust in the air and more mould spores etc,.

[Evil Genius]

Might just be the residue from evaporated water. Water isnt always clean and those could be the leftovers. You have a better look on them when they are on the tip of a spine than on the darker rest of the body! bye Eg

Edited July 2, 2009 by Evil Genius

[egad]

Might just be the residue from evaporated water. Water isnt always clean and those could be the leftovers. You have a better look on them when they are on the tip of a spine than on the darker rest of the body! bye Eg

I'd be inclined to agree with EG on this one, i've seen this before on a few of my plants from time to time, it wasn't mold or anything nasty, it was just regular dirt, and could either be scraped off by hand or left to wash away with the next rain.

It could be something more ominous (though hopefully not) since there are a couple of black spots on the skin of the cactus. Perhaps just clean the stuff off the spines and watch to see if it comes back, and see if the weather/moisture has anything to do with it.

[nitrogen]

Yah I dunno - it does not clean off the spine except just a little - the spine remains blackish - doesn't wash off either - also, the areoles with these spines turn a sort of blackish color too...

The cacti continue to grow pretty well though, I don't think its anything life-threatening, but it is unsightly..

[PhoenixSon]

i sometimes spray my cactus with a detergent mix to clean them up.

and yes i my cactus

[KanJe]

i sometimes spray my cactus with a detergent mix to clean them up.

and yes i my cactus

I know someone who does this with soap on his Astros.

It works and doesn't seem to harm the plant.

I guess it depends on what soap you use.

Spacemonk, do you do this to your peruvians as well?