Pleiospilos nelii problem

[IamFof]

Back in March, I picked up this pot containing 5 x P. nelii, 4 x green and 1 x red.

All the other pots contained 5 x green, but there were also smaller pots containing only 1 x red.
All the greens are doing well, but I'm puzzled by the red.
Through the summer, the red colouration has progressively faded. Red dye added to the water?

In the last few days, the old leaves of the red, have very rapidly shriveled. The new leaves are nice and firm and plump, though.
Yesterday, I noticed a dark spot at the cleft. Oh I thinks, may be signs of a bud?
No!
The spot expanded to reveal a hole. I've examined it with a lens and there is no signs of the hole having being eaten out or a critter in it.
What is going on?

P1130484 - small.jpg (92.3 KiB) Viewed 590 times

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As an aside, the red colour is now nearly non-existent.

What thinks you, gurus all?

TIA

Fof

[Diane]

The red form does tend to fade over winter, probably due to low light levels, so I wouldn’t be too concerned about that. But I have no idea about the hole! You’ll just have to wait and see I think.

[iann]

Although the red form does fade, with age I think as well as light, I suspect that many of the red ones out there are hybrids and the red colouring is not very strong.

As for the hole, I'd be worried but I'm not sure there is much to be done about it except to try and keep the best growing conditions you can manage. Surgery in that position would be fairly drastic and probably more dangerous than the hole. It

[edds]

The hole looks similar to some caterpillar holes in my Aeonium stems. These are from Light Brown Apple Moth caterpillars and they are a real menace!

[IamFof]

Thanks guys.

I've checked again, and the hole is getting bigger.
Definately not been caused by a borer, etc, as until about 48hrs ago, the junction of the 2 leaves was intact. Looking into the hole, there doesn't appear to an ingress/exit hole at the bottom.
It looks as though the 2 leaves, for some reason, have decided to "delaminate", for want of a better description.
All I can do is keep an eye on it. At least, I don't have to worry about water in the hole as it is dried off for the year.

[IamFof]

I'm not sure of the root cause, but the plant has rotted from the roots up. Like the green ones, it hasn't been watered for about a month.
C'est la vie.

[el48tel]

It's the Cactus God's way of making space for another plant

[IamFof]

Grump!!
If the cactus god decided to make more room for me, he/she/it could have taken one of the green P. nelii, of which I have 4. Not my only rubra. Grump!! Grump!!

[el48tel]

Grump!!
If the cactus god decided to make more room for me, he/she/it could have taken one of the green P. nelii, of which I have 4. Not my only rubra. Grump!! Grump!!

Ah your sacrifices have not placated the great cactus God. The supreme deity is unhappy.

[IamFof]

What more does the great cactus God want? My first born son?
If so, then tough s**t. I have no kids and at 80, unlikely to aquire one any time soon.