Question:
Is a Euphorbia a cactus?
Answer:
No. While a Euphorbia has similar characteristics to the cactus it is a succulent. Euphobia, known as spurge must be handled with gloves because they have a milky sap that irritates skin and can cause blindness. To stop the flow of sap, immerse the plant in warm water.
Question:
Which Mammillaria bleeds white sap and has white spines and areoles? The sap looks like that produced by the Euphorbiae.
Answer:
This would be a M. geminispina. So called because it means bearing spines in twos, like the astrological sign gemini meaning twin. They are commonly grow in the plateaus of Mexico.
Question:
I have a columnea cactus that has a white fuzzy
stubstance growing on it. I dont want to say it's a mold, but it could be
a form of it. Do you know what it is and is it contagious to my other
cacti? I have separated it just in case.
Answer:
I believe that it is a kind of mold. If the plant is overwatered or if it is in humid conditions this may occur. It is not contagious to other plants. A scale may also occur. Although I would not rule out mealy bugs without having seen the plant. If the white substance is powdery then it is mealy bugs. This is highly contagious to other plants and can be remedied my spraying it with rubbing alcohol. Keep it away from the other plants.
Question:
I receantly rescued six Desert Rose plants from Kmart. They are delightful.
A common name,no doubt. What is the true [botanical, latin,scientific, or
whatever] name and where can I learn about these strange creatures.
The bottom trunk is like a crassula, jade plant, and the leaves are
somewhat like rhododendrons. the flowers, on mine, anyway are gloriously
vulgar with pink innards and reddish edges. Clearly a succulent by outward
appearance. Rather fussy critters, but when I moved them out of NYC, they
took off.
Thanks,
Dan in the Apple
Answer:
The botanical name for the "Desert Rose" is Ademium obesum. This is the easiest of the genus to grow. The stems are caudiciform or swollen. They are sun-loving and prefer dry warmth and can rot if damaged. Here's a link that might be helpful.
Question:
What exactly is cactus soil? Can I make my own with coarse sand and potting soil? If so , what are the proportions?
Answer:
Cactus and Succulent soil contains a special combination of ingredients to ensure proper drainage and maximum root aeration. To properly make your own soil you need to add 30 to 40% of each of the following: peat, sphagnum peat moss, perlite and washed sand to your potting soil.
Question:
I have a very large twelve year-old christmas cactus that has a white sticky substance growing on many of the leaves. This white substance is small and round. The best way I can describe the appearance is that it is similar to the perlite in potting soil. When I crush it with a Q-tip it becomes orange. I would appreciate any information, especially how to treat it.
Answer:
I would say that from the description you have given me the plant has mealy bugs. The best treatment to rid the plant of these pests is to treat the plant with a systemic or soapy insecticide. If the temperature is over 70 degrees you can also use ladybugs to rid the plant of these pests.
Question:
Please help identify our cacti. I have searched the internet only to find that you can only see a picture of the plant if you know the name, which we don't. The plant is 8ft. tall now, about 5 inches across at the base, and at about 4 ft up, changes from large stem to two smaller stems, about 2.5 inches across each. The trunk or stem has a shape of 5 fins and the stickers are clumped about an inch apart, each clump has about seven stickers, about a quarter inch long. The skin is smooth and blue green in color. I'm sure this is a common plant, I see them around. Please help if you can.
Thank you. Nancy.
Answer:
First of all it is also hard for me to indentify a plant just by the description. I would guess that this cactus is a Cereus Peruvianus. If not it is of the cereus genus of which there are about 60 species.
Question:
I have seedlings from a Mammilaria senilis. Is
this a self pollinating plant?
Answer:
Self-polination or autogamy, in which pollen from the anthers is directly transfered to the stigma of the same plant or flower, has been found in cacti. There has not been enough studies to document the extent of self-pollination in cacti. The most extreme case is called cliestogamy where the flower never opens. Several groups of cactus with small flowers such as Frailea and Melocactus have been known to have examples of cleistogamy (closed marriage).
Question:
Do I follow the needs of the stock or the
scion? I've heard it both ways. Thanks, Ed Herold.
Answer:
It seems to me that just about all cactus need the same care. Whether it is a mammillaria or a stenocactus. The reason a cactus is grafted is beacuse the stock cannot grow healthy roots on its own and therefore relies on the scion to provide the roots for it. If it is a successful graft I would assume the stock and the scion are one in the same cactus and should be cared for as one cactus not two.
Question:
I have been searching all over the internet to get some
info on my newly
purchased aloe vera plant, and I can't seem to find anything on aloe vera plants.
I need to know how to take care of it, and when to re-plant it.
As you can
tell I am new at this green thumb thing. My plant is sort of light green
with leaves that are thick down by the soil, and gradually get thinner
twards the top. It also has sharp small needles on the sides. I hope this
info helps. Thanks
Answer:
This information comes courtesy of the Time-Life Virtual Plant Encyclopedia:
" A. vera, also called A. barbadensis (aloe)
Aloe is a succulent perennial whose fleshly leaves contain a clear gelatinous juice
used in cosmetics and ointments for insect bites and sunburn. The thick, leathery,
straplike green leaves grow to a length of 6 to 24 inches. They are usually edged
with soft spines and, when young, are dotted with white spots. Old plants send up
leafless blossom stalks that rise from the center of the rosettes of leaves to bear
plumes of yellow or reddish bell-like flowers; however, pot-grown aloes rarely
bloom.
HOW TO GROW. A semidesert plant, true aloe can be grown in the ground
outdoors only in Zones 9 and 10. However, aloe grows easily anywhere in pots as
a house plant or terrace plant. If kept on a terrace, the plant must be moved inside
when the temperature drops below 50?. Aloe does best if it has four or more
hours a day of direct sunlight, but it will grow fairly well in bright, indirect light.
Potted aloes need very little care; they thrive for years without repotting. Allow the
soil to become fairly dry between thorough waterings. Overwatering in winter is
hazardous; let the soil become quite dry between waterings.
Fertilize twice a year with standard house plant fertilizer diluted to half the strength
recommended on the label; this increases the chance of flowering. The simplest
way to propagate aloe is to detach the small rooted suckers that develop around
its base, and then to plant these cuttings in pots of sandy soil."
Question:
Why are my aloe plants turning yellow and wilting?
They have been transplanted from the ground to pots and left
outside.Are we over watering them?
Answer
If you potted them into pots from the ground then I would say that the roots of the aloes are freezing and the plants will probably die. You should NEVER repot any plant in the winter especially taking it out of the ground where the roots are semi-protected by the ground. The only thing I can suggest is to take the plants inside until winter is over. They may survive if the roots are not totally frozen.
Question
my aloe is almost dead!!! i have come to the conclusion
that
i have over watered... thus the root has rotted away. i
tried to repot the remaining leaves. they seemed to be
okay, and
then fell over in about 2 weeks. i have heard that you can
not get the leaves to re-root. is this so. the leaves
are still all together, and look very healthly. right now
i have
them about an inch above a cup of water. any ideas to get
the roots to reform????
Answer
Unfortunately you cannot get the leaves of an aloe to re-root. If the roots of the plant are still in the soil you might be able to get new baby aloes to form from the original roots. This is the only suggestion I van give you. To find out more about aloes please refer to the other questions and answers about aloes on this page.
Question
>I have got 2 cactuses, and come springtime, i put them
outside on the deck.
I live in Wisconsin. Anyway, they love it outside and last fall the one of
them bloomed, it was beautiful.. The question I have is, I started one off
of my big one, it was growing nicely and I sent it home with my brother and
sister in law. They had good luck during the summer, but this winter when
it was in the house, the whole thing kind of dried up to nothing. What
would cause that? I now have cut off the dried ones and left the bottom
one, hopefully this summer it will grow again.
Answer
The rooting system on all cactus is very weak. In my opinion I think this is the problem with this cactus. The roots were not strong enough to support the cactus and therefore it shriveled and died. If the cactus is completely dried up in all likelihood it will not grow again in the summer.
Question
how do i control cactus rot?
Answer
Overwatering is the most common reason for cactus rot. High humidity can also aid in the rotting of cactus. My suggestion would be to water you cactus very very little. One a month in the spring and summer and not at all during the winter and fall.
Question
We rescued a very large jade tree from English ivy but some large branches came off in the process. What's the best way to
replant these branches
Answer
Replanting jade branches is very easy. Just apply Root-Tone to the ends and plant in good potting soil. If the soil is moist then don't water for about a week. If the soil is dry water just enough to moisten the soil. After the branches have started to root water once a week in the spring and summer and once a month in the fall and winter. Be sure not to place the plant in the direct sunlight for a while.
Question
Does trimming help Christmas Cacti? Mine does not bloom, but grows.
Answer
Trimming or cutting back on your christmas cactus will not help it to bloom. The reason it is called a christmas cactus is because that is the time of year it usually blooms. About a month before Christmas the plant needs at least 12 hours of total darkness each day to bloom. This includes any kind of artificial light. Some people go as far as putting their plant in a closet to ensure that it gets no light. Also a little watered down african violet fertilizer might help it to set buds.
Question
I have a newly aquired Easter Cactus ( about
2weeks) when I bought it , it was very nice with lots of buds and hard dark
leaves. since then it is blooming but the leaves are geting very shrively
and soft. I know not to overwater and have tryed keeping it moist and
leting
it dry out but it just isnt looking any better. I do wonderfully with
African violets but this is the second cactus that Ive had this problem.
help! what am I doing or not doing? L.Rice Spokane Wa.
Answer:
Many times these cactus are grown in greenhouse conditions. Just moving the plant from one location to another will sometimes shock the plant so much that it will die. My suggestion is to put the plant in a semishaded well ventilated area. If the weather permits put it outside and leave it there. Try not to move the plant around too much. Do not overwater. Maybe once every two weeks is enough.