Do Lophocereus grow plantlets from the roots ?

[Sallubrious]

I rescued a Lophocereus schotti monstrose that had rotted almost all the way to the vascular bundle. I cut the unaffected part (the top 3 inches) off and callused and rooted it as normal.

I cut the rotten tissue off the base of the plant, sulphured it and let it dry ou for a few weeks before I re-planted it. It sat there for a few months and then yesterday I noticed another small "plantlet" for the lack of a better word has popped up that seems to be separate from the main part of the plant. It is about 10 mm from the plant. The plant is as ugly as a hat full of arseholes, but the part that has re-grown looks very healthy.

Is it even possible for a cactus to grow a plant from the roots or is it likely to be a normal offset emerging from an areole below the soil level ?

I'm not sure because of the distance from the plant & the guy I got it from told me this species almost never produces offsets. The plant has had the apical meristem removed so maybe that's why it's produced this "thing".

I've got pics, but I keep getting error messages when I try to upload them - this upload failed.

I don't know what's going there, I've never had that problem before.

Edited February 7, 2013 by SallyD

[Sallubrious]

Got the pics sorted

[naja naja]

MY TPM had wat I thought was a pup on it when it arrived, but it did not arrise from an areole, but rather as a root pup. So I am guessing it is possible for all cacti.

[Evil Genius]

Yes it is possible for all cacti. Happens rarely though as they usually have enough other spots to pup from. In this case, i guess it only pupped from there because all the other spots werent viable enough. bye Eg

[bogfrog]

Amazing!

Theres my 'you learn something new every day' for today

[planthelper]

The plant is as ugly as a hat full of arseholes

[Sallubrious]

Thanks for the replies.

So it's a "root pup" - that conjures some sick mental images.