Conv3rgence Posted February 3, 2016 I made a post a few months ago asking if my Peruvianus had 'witches broom' since it was pupping like mad, I think it was 7 pups. I got the Peruvian free and it had 7 pups at the time, and a healed split at the base from overwatering in the spring rains. I didn't secure the pot and on the way home, it toppled, breaking the tip off near the base. I cleaned it up and cut it neatly, and then rooted the tip. Concerned about the possibility of witches broom, since that time I've kept the main plant quarantined and without any fertiliser for observation. It's made 4 more pups since then, and 2 of those are pups on pups. The rooted tip hasn't made any pups and has put on a couple of centimetres of normal healthy growth. Here's the rooted tip. Here's the overpupping crazy base plant. Growth looks normal not mutated, but ridiculous number of pups. What's the deal here? Is it witches broom? I've even kept a Cuzco I don't like next to this guy to see if he catches anything, but so far nothing... Can someone explain this pupping to me? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solomon Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) might be witches broom, might be genetics or environmental factors. occams razor: just a healthy rootbase that is throwing out a good but not too crazy amount of pups. Pupping from pups is not so normal in my experience I've noticed with seedlings grown from the same genetics that some are more predisposed towards early pupping (no cutting, just normal growth) Do you know if this plant was a seedling or grown from a cut? oh and nice cactus Edited February 3, 2016 by solomon 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conv3rgence Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) might be witches broom, might be genetics or environmental factors. occams razor: just a healthy rootbase that is throwing out a good but not too crazy amount of pups. Pupping from pups is not so normal in my experience I've noticed with seedlings grown from the same genetics that some are more predisposed towards early pupping (no cutting, just normal growth) Do you know if this plant was a seedling or grown from a cut? oh and nice cactus Well yeh I do like her so I hope its not infected with something. A few things in favour of not being infected are that the rooted tip isn't pupping, the base plant hasn't affected the cuzco i put next to it, and the new growth on the base plant looks mostly normal apart from 2 pups on pups. I have no idea if this is a seedling or cutting, but the diameter of the base and distance between areoles is small, it could be a seed grown. Edited February 3, 2016 by Conv3rgence Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
El Presidente Hillbillios Posted February 3, 2016 isnt witches broom just a myth? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solomon Posted February 3, 2016 seems legit. wiki never lies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch's_broom Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zelly Posted February 3, 2016 isnt witches broom just a myth? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evil Genius Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) Doesn´t look like Witches Broom to me. The plant looks way too healthy, and some of the pups are already too big to have it. A real witches broom infection starts a lot of pups over a very small piece of plant. It looks more like cancer than classic pupping. It´s definitely not a myth, but a large part of the suspected Witches Broom cases are just very well fed plants that like to pup a lot. Believe me, if you every come across an infected plant you´ll know. The plants are just sick and it often comes with nutrient defiency and not being cared about enough. Edited February 4, 2016 by Evil Genius 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conv3rgence Posted February 4, 2016 Thanks EG, this is good to know. 11 pups on this little stump is absurd though, I'm going to cut off the smaller ones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strontium Dawg Posted February 4, 2016 Graft them 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
modern.shaman Posted February 14, 2016 The pupping in your case it likely due to a strong root system and it wanting to grow faster then possible. Similar to grafts pupping excessively at first. Witches broom seems rare with trichocereus but I have seen a few pictures there was an old photo on the nook. Witches broom causes excessive pupping to the point that it doesn't grow but just keeps pupping and tend to happen at the growth rips rather than base. Here is a recent example I've seen online of what I would call witches broom. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Berengar Posted February 14, 2016 And they are selling that very likely infected cactus for almost $500!!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRICHOCEREUS-BRIDGESII-DOUBLE-MONSTUOSITY-35cm-H-NOT-ARIOCARPUS-COPIAPOA-/151983461912?hash=item2362eb9618:g:5Z0AAOSwezVWwIMy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
