sum dum questions

[Thelema]

ok i know nothing about cacti, so can someone indulge me?

Is it only the growing tip that grows? Does this mean that a cacti segment with callouses at both ends will not grow if replanted?

Does this mean that if I cut the tip off a cactus then the main plant wont grow anymore?

That's all for now, Cheers.

[Torsten]

Originally posted by Thelema:

Is it only the growing tip that grows? Does this mean that a cacti segment with callouses at both ends will not grow if replanted?

Yes... and No. New growing tips can emerge from vascular bundles under the skin. A mid section can simply be laid on its side and it will put out roots from the lower section and a pup or three from the upper section. This is especially important if you don't know which way it up for the cutting you got.

Does this mean that if I cut the tip off a cactus then the main plant wont grow anymore?

Nope, a new growth tip will emerge soon

[t st tantra]

if you cut off the tip of a cactus leaving a stump of say 12 cm,the stump will often have grown a bit bigger[fatter] before buds form.on glaucous plants this can be seen clearly as a green strip of new growth.

the diameter of the stem on a growing plant will often increase as the plant grows.

i have a cordobensis[?] that splits vertically up to 15cm then fills in the split with new tissue as it grows.it looks quite violent,but i've learned not to worry!!

t s t .

[M S Smith]

Hey Thelema, no such thing as a dumb question...only dumb people, naw, just kidding, I think it's great that you don't know much about cactus, first cause you have a new interest and secondly cause now I get to indulge you.

Cactus are some of the hardiest plants alive, you could take a seedling 3cm tall x 1.5cm in diameter and cut off the roots and the growing tip and let it sit out for months and the thing will recover just fine eventually (if there isn't extreme heat). Of course that's not the question here, but it certainly gives you an idea of the ease in caring for these plants.

With your plant, which I would imagine is larger, you could have the roots and the tip cut off and if you let the bottom of the plant callous over so rot isn't introduced through wet soil it will eventually grow roots (you could even get roots to form by just leaving it leaned up against the wall upright, or by leaving it out on its side). In fact roots can form from any part of the plant, not just the base. They could come right out of the skin at any point along the column. This is common in T. bridgessi, even when it is on its own roots. Which ever way the plant is set down the roots will always pretty much come out of the lower-most point.

You can take the plant, lay it on its side and it will grow roots, or, if you don't remember which direction was up with the plant you can plant it upside down and roots will grow. Even if planted upside down new growth will always grow upwards.

New pups are simple to understand, they always come out of the areoles (spine pads).

Hope that was both entertaining and educational.

~Michael M.Ed.~