Replanting Fallen Saguaro Arms: Callusing, Orientation, and Patience

Can Detached Saguaro Arms and Buttons Be Rooted? A large saguaro fell in the Superstition Foothills after heavy rain. It had two large arms and several small button arms (football-sized) at the top. The owner asks if the

Golden Barrel Cactus Losing Shape: Light Deficiency Causes Elongation

Why a Barrel Cactus Becomes Lopsided and Long-Spined A 14-inch golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) was round and symmetrical with short top spines when purchased. A year later, top spines are long, the cactus ha

Saving a Rotting Aeonium: Beheading and Re-rooting

Aeonium Stem Rot: Brown Bark Spreading Upward An aeonium (dark purple in sun) was moved indoors in September. Weeks later, the trunk base shrank, developed a hard brown substance (like smooth bark), which spread upward a

Growing Lithops from Seed: Germination, Watering, and Flowering Timeline

Lithops Seed Questions: Germination, Moisture, Time to Flower A grower plans to order 1,000 lithops seeds and asks: how long to germinate? Keep soil moist when small? How many years from seed to flower? Gregs Response &

Christmas Cactus Watering & Mystery Plant Identification

How Often to Water a Christmas Cactus A new plant owner fears killing their beautiful Christmas cactus and asks for a precise watering schedule. Greg refers to a comprehensive care guide (Wikihow) but notes one inaccurac

Stabbed Saguaro: Can a Vandalized Young Plant Be Saved?

Deliberate Damage: 50 Spike Wounds, Black Ooze, and Rot A 5-foot saguaro was stabbed in ~50 places with a rusty spike. After recent rains, the plant is rotting and oozing black fluid. The owner, who paid $500, wants to k

Growing Pachypodium saundersii from Seed: A Step-by-Step Guide

Seed Propagation for Madagascar Palm in Zone 10 A gardener in Southwest Florida (Zone 10) has four seed pods from a Pachypodium saundersii and wants to know how to sow them, having never grown plants from seed successful

Fallen Saguaro: Replanting Arms and Uprighting a 12-Foot Giant

Storm-Damaged Saguaro in Tucson: Arms Broken, Trunk Split After heavy rains, a 12-foot saguaro with two 1-foot arms fell; the arms broke at the joints, and the top 2 feet of the main trunk split partially. The owner has

Sick Cereus: Woody Base, Yellowing—Natural Aging or Disease?

Large Cereus peruvianus Shows Gray Sloughing at Base A 10-year-old, 5–6 meter tall Cereus peruvianus in southern Louisiana dropped flower buds in September, faded to green-yellow, and developed heavy gray, bark-like slou

Two Cactus Problems: Christmas Cactus Dropping Buds & Yucca Turning Black

Christmas Cactus: Bud Drop After Sudden Watering A Christmas cactus (a tropical epiphyte, not a desert cactus) was kept dry on a patio, then brought indoors and watered heavily. Within a month, flowers and stems began fa

Saving a Broken Cactus Piece: Replanting After a Fall

Can a Broken Cactus Top Be Rooted? A readers tall, single-stem cactus (over 12 inches) fell and snapped in half. The top piece has been kept, and the owner asks whether it can be transplanted and saved. Step-by-Step: He

Cactus Milk in the Eye: First Aid and Plant Identification

What Happens When Euphorbia Latex Gets in Your Eye A gardener experienced burning and swelling for two days after getting cactus milk in the eye while handling a cathedral cactus (often called a milk cactus). Greg clarif

Reviving a Tall Cactus with Brown Sides: Dormancy vs. Decline

Understanding Brown Sides on a Mature Cactus A reader wrote in about a 6- to 7-foot cactus that had lost its top and now shows dry, brown sides with little new growth. The plant receives cactus fertilizer and regular dus

Peruvian Apple Cactus Decline After Move and Cold

10-Foot Cereus peruvianus: Blackening Top After Transport in 45°F Top 6 inches bent during move, wrapped in plastic, plastic came off. Propped up, but turned black, dried, cut off. Now another 12 inches blackening, lower

Are There Native Cacti in Madagascar?

Cacti in Madagascar: Naturalized, Not Native Question: Are there cacti from Madagascar? Answer True cacti (family Cactaceae) are native only to the Americas. However, theyve naturalized in Africa. Madagascar has many ca

Saving a Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium) After Cold Exposure

3-Foot Pachypodium lamerei Rotting at Top After Fall Outdoors Top portion soft and rotting between spines after being left out in fall. Rescue Cut 2 inches below soft rot. If rot hasnt reached roots, it will branch belo

Propagating a 20-Year Cactus from Cuttings After Basal Rot

9-Foot Columnar Cactus Rotting from Base: Take Cuttings Now 20+ year cactus, transplanted last summer, now turning brownish-black from base up in December. Top half still green. Procedure Cut sections 3–4 inches above

Winter Leaf Drop on Pencil Euphorbia (Euphorbia tirucalli)

Seasonal Branch Loss on Indoor Pencil Cactus in Ohio 2-foot Euphorbia tirucalli drops many small branches in winter (yellow, then dry). Improved when placed outside in hot, humid NC summer. Explanation Normal for this s

Saving a Hanging Jade with One Rotted Stem

Two-Piece Hanging Jade: Discard Mushy Part, Keep Healthy One piece firm and healthy; other has no roots, mushy leaves. Action Remove and discard mushy piece. Check soil for fungus; treat with fungicide if needed. Hea

Aloe Pup Transplanting: Healing and Superthrive Use

Best Practices for Separating and Rooting Aloe Offsets Questions on healing pups before repotting, when to apply Superthrive, and separation technique. Answers Healing: Keep in warm, bright (not direct sun) location. S