What does it mean when you say a cactus has terminated ?

[Swiper]

Hi All,

I have seen the term ' my cactus has terminated ' on this forum a few times and was wondering what it means ?

Cheers,

Swiper.

[shruman]

It means Arnold wo'nt be back!

the apical meristem (tip) stops growing & energy is directed esewhere usualy to a pup near the tip.

[Evil Genius]

Well imo, whenever a grower is saying that, he actually wants to say "i fucking killed it in the meantime".

EDIT: Or do you mean it terminated its growth? That is what shruman just said.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Evil Genius

[Swiper]

Thanks shruman, that's what I thought it meant, now I know !

Thanks EG for the reply also.

So I suppose if you take a cut from a cactus, you have terminated the tip, does that make sense ?

Cheers,

Swiper.

[Evil Genius]

Never heard someone say it like that. But its possible, english is not my first language and some practical terms might not be known to me.

[Stillman]

Swiper I would think the answer is "no" you haven't terminated the tip you have taken a tip cutting as the tip will continue to grow as normal from the tip with no sign of terminating.

[Quixote]

So, what factors cause a tip to terminate or keep growing?

[Evil Genius]

Spidermite Damage for example. And in some cases, its because of bad genes. In Echinopsis breeding, there are some certain plants that will produce Offpring that might stop growing after a while. And wont start growing again. Like ever.

[M S Smith]

This monstrose T. pachanoi form will often have limbs that "terminate" at the apical meristem and then set new limbs out of other areoles. I think all three of the larger limbs in this shot went terminal.

~Michael~

[zelly]

Michael-

For this particular plant have you noticed that the limbs terminate at or near a specific length?

Is termination widely or narrowly variable?

[Swiper]

Stillman, thanks I get it now.

Thanks EG, and thanks Michael for the example pic, it's a beauty!

Cheers,

Swiper.

[M S Smith]

Michael-

For this particular plant have you noticed that the limbs terminate at or near a specific length?

Is termination widely or narrowly variable?

 

Oops, sorry so long in getting back to this. Anyhow, the strangest thing is that this plant was once just a single on again/off again monstrose column that got close to two meters tall without ever going terminal. Once I cut it and and put these three 15 cm sections in that large pot they started going terminal. I wonder if it has anything to do with being root bound.

~Michael~