Conv3rgence Posted November 14, 2015 I only just found out about this disease today, and became concerned about one of my recent cacti pickups. I got given this damaged Peruvianus for free, it had split and calloused over from over watering some time ago, but no signs of rot. It had 8 pups at the base, an unusually high number, which makes me think witchs broom. Anyways, I cut the top off and have been waiting to pot it up, it's only been a week, and the stump with 8 pups had been outside in the full sun. I cut the top off because it was an ugly damaged Peru anyway, and I thought 8 pups would be growing really slow if the main stem was also growing. Here's the photos. The severed tip, showing the calloused split. Here's two shots of the stump with 8 pups. So is this witch's broom? Do I need to quarantine? What are the chances the stump has infected the cacti it's been sitting next to for a week? (It had a fresh open wound healing in the sun from the cutting) Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strontium Dawg Posted November 14, 2015 The pups don't look too freaky, it might have just been treated with BAP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr b.caapi Posted November 14, 2015 (edited) Shit no ! Thats just a cut bustin to grow.... Witches broom ! pfft . its a myth i reckon.... Edited November 14, 2015 by mr b.caapi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halcyon Daze Posted November 14, 2015 Not all those pups will grow big. Leave the strong ones to grow freely. Any that stop growing should be sliced off and grafted onto something else, so get a couple of stock plants ready to go. Witches broom growths look mutated, yours are nice and healthy lookin'. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conv3rgence Posted November 14, 2015 (edited) The pups don't look too freaky, it might have just been treated with BAP.Surprisingly no BAP involved here. Perhaps it was a reaction to splitting at the base?Thanks for the tip on cutting off the weaker pups, I'll try grafting them to some PC stock. Edited November 14, 2015 by Conv3rgence 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr b.caapi Posted November 14, 2015 yeh. no worries. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BassCompound Posted November 14, 2015 If all of those 8 pups throw 8 more pups each and the mother throws another 30 then its broom, most likely its just very healthy though 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halcyon Daze Posted November 14, 2015 yeh. no worries. Damn you mr b. I'll get you one day you fiend... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr b.caapi Posted November 14, 2015 Damn you mr b. I'll get you one day you fiend... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
highdesertcacti Posted November 14, 2015 looks like what happens whe a happy cacus get taken to a stump. if the pups start to pup then its time to bust out the torches and pitchforks! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huachu Ma Posted November 18, 2015 Hi guys, what you are thinking about this plant? A friend of mine is collecting monstrose trichocereus. He is thinking thats possible, that this is wich broom. Is this contagious? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strontium Dawg Posted November 18, 2015 That one does look pretty funky, but I'm no expert on witches broom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BassCompound Posted November 18, 2015 That one looks like it possibly is diseased. It can be contagious I would definitely isolate that one I would be scared of leaving it near any other Cacti. Depending on the vector for the disease it could potentially spread to any plant not exclusively cacti There is a very wide range of things that can cause witches broom, some of them like Fungi, Nematodes, Molds, Yeasts, Mites, Virus can be very contagious. In cacti I gather its usually a fatal condition. Apparently in some trees people have grafted pieces of witches broom and resulted in a non diseased but heavily mutated form, could be worth a try. By the sound of that the disease may attack the genetics of a plant resulting in a permanent mutation even if it survives the disease Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sagiXsagi Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) yep huachuma yr pic looks like witches broom... but you know, maybe good things might happen with those viruses.. who knows? maybe a new monstrosa strain... or not . this number of pups is unhealthy anyways.. I had this happen once in one penis plant.. pupping like crazy then pupping from the pups. I didn't guarantine it, I just cut them of and grafted them. The "infection" didnt continue.. if you ask me, I wouldn't worry too much about contamination Edited November 18, 2015 by sagiXsagi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites