I have a number of Eriosyce Napina RS1466 seedlings that are a year old, about a cm across. The majority look like this:
One looks as if a different type of plant is growing out of it, almost as if it has been grafted.
The second one looks as if it has split in half and another plant is growing from the centre.
Can anyone enlighten me please on whether this is normal or if something is causing this to happen, and can I expect the other seedlings to do the same? They grow in full sun and follow a normal watering regime.
Mike
BCSS member 39216
Active grower of caudiciform succulents and mesembs. I don't really grow cacti (very often).
Something went wrong with their culture, probably last summer. It might have been a mite attack or scorch, something that damaged the growing point. Whatever it was has fixed itself and the plants have formed new growing points from one of the areoles near to the apex, hence the grafted look. If there's lots of dead/scar tissue near to this then it tends to crack rather than stretching to accommodate the new growth. In a year from now you probably won't be able to tell that anything was ever amiss as the new growth enlarges and hides the old.
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
Thanks Phil, that makes sense. I was told these were difficult to grow, but they seem to have a remarkable desire for self preservation. Interesting little plants.
I do wonder, though, why have the spine colours changed? Or is that just part of growing up?
Mike
BCSS member 39216
Active grower of caudiciform succulents and mesembs. I don't really grow cacti (very often).
Spines can change as the seedlings grow, often the first spines are juvenile, most noticeable in Turbinicarpus species. These are probably more mature spines coming through. I haven't found this species particularly difficult from seed - I grew several (many years ago) from Mesa Garden seeds, and last year grew a few from crosses made from these plants. They are quite slow though.
Mike, I have tens of plants growing like yours. As Phil said, most likely its RSM or scorch. No matter what the cause was, the top of the plants got damaged and they started pushing new growth out. In most cases it will outgrow the old part.
I'm going with scorch. Eriosyce have a nasty habit of doing this. I don't tend to see it on seedlings, but that's probably because they get some protection when they're little. When it happens, they can be a pain getting back to normal for a year or two, very sensitive to more scorch, and various sorts of abnormal growth.
I guess that abnormal growth also includes the fact that some are starting to produce pups, such as this one? I thought they were solitary and at one year old producing pups wouldn't be that normal in a cactus.
Mike
BCSS member 39216
Active grower of caudiciform succulents and mesembs. I don't really grow cacti (very often).
Interesting … does that then imply that the original plant may fade away?
I've taken the precaution of removing them from the shelf in the apex of the greenhouse [where the Ariocarpus plants live] to a lower position where they will still get bright sun but not intense heat.
Mike
BCSS member 39216
Active grower of caudiciform succulents and mesembs. I don't really grow cacti (very often).
"I've taken the precaution of removing them from the shelf in the apex of the greenhouse [where the Ariocarpus plants live] to a lower position where they will still get bright sun but not intense heat"
I think that's where your problem lies - far too much light and heat for such small seedlings, they don't need those conditions when so young, so dropping them down should help.
