Please Help I Think My Cactus Is Dying

[heidihig]

Dear all

Can you please help? I have had this cactus for many years & I am really concerned about it.

I repotted it in the spring last year in a sand/gravel/soil mix and it has been growing over the summer - it even grew a new bright green lump on the top.

During the summer the pricks started to become dense (only on the top bits), the green disappeared and it started producing a cotton wool like substance. It has done this before approx 4 years ago and then came back to life.

I stopped watering it in August & then this month I have noticed that it has started to change colour - to a dark greenish colour and it looks unhealthy. I have also noticed quite a few small flies on its body & soil.

Does anyone know what is going on and if there is anything that I can do to save it from dying?

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Heidihig

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by heidihig

Dear all

Can you please help? I have had this cactus for many years & I am really concerned about it.

I repotted it in the spring last year in a sand/gravel/soil mix and it has been growing over the summer - it even grew a new bright green lump on the top.

During the summer the pricks started to become dense (only on the top bits), the green disappeared and it started producing a cotton wool like substance. It has done this before approx 4 years ago and then came back to life.

I stopped watering it in August & then this month I have noticed that it has started to change colour - to a dark greenish colour and it looks unhealthy. I have also noticed quite a few small flies on its body & soil.

Does anyone know what is going on and if there is anything that I can do to save it from dying?

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Heidihig

Hello Heidihig and welcome. Would there be any chance of you posting a photo of your cactus. It would really help if we could see it. The cotton wool like substance you say it started producing could be normal depending on the species. It's also fairly normal for cacti to look slightly unhealthy at this time of year as it is the winter rest period where the previous summers growth should be allowed to ripen by witholding water. This can, depending again on the species and the environement it's kept in cause a change in colour and a slight shrivelling of the plant.
The flies you mention could be compost flies, they do have a proper name but I can't for the life of me remember it. If your plant is indoors in a fairly warm temperature I would be inclined to give it a small amount of water.

Hope this helps a little
Roger

[FungiJohn]

Hi Heidihig and welcome to WAB.

Your cacti may be infested with Mealy Bugs. These are very small off white coloured insects.

They feed on cactus sap and reproduce rapidly laying their eggs underneath a cotton-like elliptical covering. This white covering also serves to protect the insect from predators and pesticides.

Cacti infested with mealy bugs are generally covered with white spots and a sticky honeydew. All parts of the cacti are prone to their attack although you often first spot them on the stem.

Left unchecked, infested plants will stop growing, take on a deformed appearance, and may start to shrivel. Weakened plants often succumb to fungi (had to get fungi in )secondary infection.

Minor mealy bug infestations can be handled by mechanically removing the pests (i.e. using your fingernails, tweezers or force spraying with water). If the infestation is severe, dabbing the insects with a cotton bud previously dipped in alcohol usually does the trick. The alcohol dissolves the waxy coat and kills the bug.

It's very important to isolate any cacti with mealy bug infection as it can rapidly spread to other cacti.

I actually lost a large collection of cacti plants through this type of infection

Good luck and I hope you manage to save the plant(s)

John

[heidihig]

[heidihig]

[heidihig]

Dear all

Thanks for your replies - I have posted a couple of pictures up for you to have a look at.

PS - do you know what type of Cactus this is?

Kind regards
Heidi

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Hello Heidihig and welcome. Would there be any chance of you posting a photo of your cactus. It would really help if we could see it. The cotton wool like substance you say it started producing could be normal depending on the species. It's also fairly normal for cacti to look slightly unhealthy at this time of year as it is the winter rest period where the previous summers growth should be allowed to ripen by witholding water. This can, depending again on the species and the environement it's kept in cause a change in colour and a slight shrivelling of the plant.
The flies you mention could be compost flies, they do have a proper name but I can't for the life of me remember it. If your plant is indoors in a fairly warm temperature I would be inclined to give it a small amount of water.

Hope this helps a little
Roger

Sciarid Flies are the group of insects you mention.

[Lynneth]

Hi there
It might be a pincushion cactus. Did you check the rootball in case it needs repotting again? You can always propagate a new plant from the nice new green sprout. Just in case...

[steve_nova]

Originally Posted by heidihig

Dear all

Thanks for your replies - I have posted a couple of pictures up for you to have a look at.

PS - do you know what type of Cactus this is?

Kind regards
Heidi

Hello Heidi.

I think your cactus is some soert of [i]Echinocereus[/], possibly the species Echinocereus engelmannii though an expert out there would know I'm sure.

Why not contact a specialist Cactus and succulent nursery. BCSS - UK Nurseries

Steve.

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by steve_nova

Hello Heidi.

I think your cactus is some soert of [i]Echinocereus[/], possibly the species Echinocereus engelmannii though an expert out there would know I'm sure.

Why not contact a specialist Cactus and succulent nursery. BCSS - UK Nurseries

Steve.

I'll go with Steve on Echinocerus here. If you can get a copy of Cacti and Succulents by Walter Haage ... an old book but was once the reference book for cacti.
John