Dead-heading Cacti and Succulents?

[saddlestoneman]

Hello All

What is the perceived wisdom on whether or not to dead-head finished flowers on cacti and succulents? I guess it improves their appearance, but does it help the development of new buds?

It's generally accepted that deadheading roses, etc improves the generation of new buds, and that taking the old flowers off spring bulbs helps the plant put its energy into the bulb ready for next year. I'm not sure how true this is: wild daffs, crocuses, snowdrops, etc seem to flower profusely year after year without any deadheading - unless the local Pixies remove the old flowers at night?

best regards ... Stef

[johno]

yes it is best to remove the dead flowers when ready to come off as they are a lovely place for mealy bugs.
johno

[Stuart]

Cacti might be the only plants that are sometimes seen at shows covered in dead flowers, apart from those genera where removing the flower can remove the attached areole and damage the plant, remove dead flowers but only for looks and cleanliness. I don't like to see plants covered in dead flowers when I'm judging (back in the days when there used to be cactus shows) It's not the same as normal outdoor gardening where allowing a plant to form seed pods will often reduce the production of future flowers.

Stuart

[Terry S.]

The idea of removing dead flowers is to prevent the plants putting energy into producing seeds. Probably a majority of succulent plants need to be pollinated with a related plant to get seeds although a few are self-fertile. Those which are self-fertile, e.g. Setiechinopsis mirabilis do benefit from having the flowers cut carefully away after they fade.

When the flower hasn't been pollinated leave it until it can be removed easily from the plants so that removal does not cause damage. Left on, they make the plants look untidy and are a nice hideaway for the likes of red-spider mites as suggested by JohnO. It can take quite a few weeks before some flowers, e.g. on Notocactus, can be easily peeled away without causing damage.

Allowing plants to seed, is likely to inhibit further flowering to some extent.

At one time, show judges loved to see plants covered with dead flowers as proof of flowering. Thankfully that is a thing of the past (I hope).