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fyzygy

Melt genetics vs. environmental factors

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Sometimes a Trichocereus will drop ribs, add ribs, or -- as pictured -- drop and then resume growing a rib. Is this simply a genetic trait, or do environmental factors play a role? 

I'm not sure what the pictured variety is -- a "Super Pedro" type, for sure -- but it often melts like this for me, once it reaches a certain size. That said, I've seen clones of this variety which, in sunnier positions, did not exhibit this tendency. 

The only other plant I have that exhibits a similar growth habit is T. peruvianus var. "sausage" -- a close relative perhaps? 

 

 

 

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On this specimen, aureoles are about one inch apart -- but two inches between aureoles wherever these indentations occur. 

So it's a case of dropping an aureole, as well as interrupting rib growth. 

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environmental factors play a huge role in my opinion.  I think you'll find the genetics will probably define the types of variations you can expect, but water, sun, root space and growing medium will be the catalysts

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On 23/09/2021 at 12:13 AM, SayN said:

environmental factors play a huge role in my opinion.  I think you'll find the genetics will probably define the types of variations you can expect, but water, sun, root space and growing medium will be the catalysts

agreed .. enviromental factors can be even the basic one, what size of pot the plant is in - the bigger, the most it will show a wider range of more mature characteristics, and it will do it faster 

 

Rib play (adding reducing)  usually seems  to halt the growth rate for at least a little, one of the most extreme cases is altmans clone , where, the plant alternates from normal growth and rib play/ monstrosa growth, which decreases the plants speed a lot.. Lots of semi-monstrosa as faster though.. And casual rib play can occur in clones that are not monstrosa at all...

 

IME 4 ribbers always do rib play. 

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Potassium shock can induce melt? I'm skeptical only because the claim appeared in an eBay listing that's mostly hype. 

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looks like 3 different things to me.

 

the one with the title, melting in the shade, reminds me of how it looks, when the pedro changes from 5 ribs to six, or so. but than it seems decided not to vary the number of ribs.

 

the roseii melt, looks what i get at times from, placing a cutting in a shadier position.

 

good onya, for spelling roseii correctly, most people even professionals and the gardening shows always spell it wrong, in latin it's always double ii, not single...

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