Cactus/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| cactus care | 1/18/2012 | Maureen |
| Q: Just moved to the Phoenix area and I have a prickly pear, totem pole, golden barrel and twisted ... A: Congratulations on some great plants! As a rule, from April to September established cactus plants ... | ||
| Aloe Vera | 1/2/2012 | Maureen |
| Q: I have read somewhere that aloe vera plant can be propagated through its leaf cutting,I wanted to ... A: As winter is it's dormant period it may take longer to root - 2wks to 1 month or so - hard to say. ... | ||
| Aloe Vera | 1/2/2012 | Maureen |
| Q: I have read somewhere that aloe vera plant can be propagated through its leaf cutting,I wanted to ... A: Yeas they can, tho I find it easier through offshoots. Anyway, here's how: First, select a leaf to ... | ||
| Droopy cactus | 12/27/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have had a cactus plant for about 11 years Never had a problem and it has been growing very well. ... A: Do you have a photo? Do you know what kind of plant it is? Is it just an arm that is drooping or ... | ||
| Floppy, leaning zebra plant (hawthornia fasciata (sp?) | 12/23/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have a small zebra plant (dark green leaves with raised, white, horizontal patterns that look like ... A: I would seperate the healthy part of the plant as soon as possible as the rot is extending up. It ... | ||
| Floppy, leaning zebra plant (hawthornia fasciata (sp?) | 12/23/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have a small zebra plant (dark green leaves with raised, white, horizontal patterns that look like ... A: Deaer Brittany, Thanks for the photos! From what I can see, it looks like your plant has rot at ... | ||
| Cactus Question | 12/18/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: Maureen: I have a question about a cactus that I discovered in my yard about a year ago in Phoenix, ... A: I will get back to you on the name of the cactus. It's hard to ID because it's so etiolated. Open ... | ||
| Aloe Vera | 12/7/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I was reading up on the internet yesterday about the benefits of aloe vera jel. In watching a video ... A: Try cutting the stalk higher up and see if it's more clear. Sometimes there is some color in the ... | ||
| Rapidly growing Echeveria cactus | 11/22/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I live in Phila, Pa and I bought an Echeveria "Black prince" cactus this past Spring. It's growing ... A: My e-mail address is moken_33@yahoo.com Echeveria typically develop long stalks with small flowers ... | ||
| Christmas Cacti air-roots? | 11/18/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I relocated my 3 smaller Christmas Cacti to my room about a week ago (I work thirds and like my room ... A: Sorry for the delay in responding. I didn't get your original e-mail. As for your cactus with some ... | ||
| ruby red ball cactus | 11/9/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have a ruby red ball cactus and since I got it have had difficulty getting it to stand up on its ... A: You don't need to repot it. Unfortunately it is essentially dead. The ball has lost it's color and ... | ||
| ruby red ball cactus | 11/8/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have a ruby red ball cactus and since I got it have had difficulty getting it to stand up on its ... A: Do you have a photo? It sounds like you have a grafted cactus, probably Gymnocalycium mihanovichii ... | ||
| Cactus/Succulent | 9/5/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: My daughter gave me this plant and I'm wondering exactly what it is. It is a pretty green, with ... A: It is a euphorbia. I believe it's a Euphorbia tortirama with some variegation and a bit of ... | ||
| I' m not sure what kind of cactus i have and why it's turning red. | 6/1/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: My cactus is small and squat. Occasionally it will sprout on the top of another sprout. And ... A: In this case it's really hard to help with out a picture. I can tell you that cacti do develop arms ... | ||
| smooshed cactus | 4/27/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: i droped my cactus and now the top is smooshed, what can i do? Also as it droped i went to grab it ... A: That's a bummer! The only thing you can do is cut it back to below the damage with a sterilized ... | ||
| totem pole cactus injury | 4/26/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: Our totem pole cactus got "injured" poked by a bamboo stick and is now infected turning limp around ... A: You can cut off the infected part of the cactus with a sterilized knife back to healthy tissue, ... | ||
| Mold on mesembs? | 4/25/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I just renewed my mesemb collection with some pleiospilos nelii, in less then a month of having them ... A: I am not a mesemb expert, but what I'd do is separated the plants from your other plants, brush the ... | ||
| Cactus | 4/24/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: My cactus has sprouted at the top is this a baby growing? What do i do with it? Please help me and ... A: Are you talking about he smaller plant? it has sprouted, as it should as it knows it' active period ... | ||
| RE: Repot a tiny cactus | 4/22/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I purchased a teenie little cactus with a pretty pink flower in a tiny tiny pot.......the roots of ... A: By all means repot it. Cacti like to be crowded so I'd go to the next size pot or what you need so ... | ||
| Euphorbia lactea crest | 4/20/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I just got one of the awesome succulents but am not sure if I can plant it in the full sun. It is ... A: Never put a plant in full sun without doing it gradually. Over the course of a month I cover mine ... | ||
| what cacti | 4/18/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: i need help to find out what cacti these are that i have attached A: Dea louise, The plant on the far left is barrel cactus. The one in the middle, not sure. I'll ... | ||
| black rot on top and middle of cactus | 4/12/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I found your note to the lady who had an indoor cactus, helpful, but have a slightly different ... A: Be careful of the sun. You need to get them used to it gradually or they will burn. The callous on ... | ||
| Cacti looking ill | 4/11/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have a cacti that has these white things all over it and i think it is dying how can i stop it. A: You're not giving me much to go on so so I am giving you this website: www.CactiGuide.com. Go to ... | ||
| epiphyllum and diseases | 3/11/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I grow eppies as a hobby and I'm running into a few problems that i hope you can hep me with, i can ... A: It looks like scale to me. Can you scrape the spot off with your fingernail? Is the stem sticky as ... | ||
| Castle cactus slowly dying | 3/9/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have had a castle cactus for over five years now. It is over a foot high. We built another home, ... A: Look at the roots. It souldns lke the plant is rotting from the roots up. If they are brown, flat, ... | ||
| suaguaro cactus problems :( | 3/8/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I moved into my home about 6 month ago. There is a 12' suaguaro cactus in the front yard. A couple ... A: Sorry I wasn't more clear. Yes, I think the broken arms are transplantable. Make a clean cut above ... | ||
| suaguaro cactus problems :( | 3/7/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I moved into my home about 6 month ago. There is a 12' suaguaro cactus in the front yard. A couple ... A: From what I can see the main plant is really infected with rot and looks dead or at least well on ... | ||
| Blueagave care? | 3/6/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: please help.I have several blue agave plants that I have had for about 6 years. I live in Silver ... A: If the center of each plant has new growth or undamaged growth I would just wait till the damaged ... | ||
| Candelabra Cactus | 3/4/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: my 4 foot candelabra cactus was frost bitten during our latest freezing night here in Phoenix. Some ... A: So sorry for the delay. Yes, by all means cut the dead limbs off. You can eithr cut back to the ... | ||
| pear cactus blight | 3/1/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: Each year, my pear cacti are beset with white spots that eventually kill the plants. I've asked ... A: I added a picture and you can see if it looks anything like this. If so, what you have is an insect ... | ||
| Brown spots on San Pedro | 2/28/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I have several San Pedro and have suddenly noticed dark brown spots on all of them. I checked the ... A: Sorry for the slow answer and thanks for the picture. i wanted to show it to some folks that are ... | ||
| Candalabra Cactus dying | 2/27/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I saw a similar question on this site about a candalabra cactus but with mine the lower central stem ... A: Do you have a photo? How do you know it's rotting? What does it look/feel like? The reason is that ... | ||
| Stetsonii | 2/26/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: My stetsonii frozen this season and though it had survived freezes before, now it has turned spongy ... A: If the entire plant is spongy you probably can't. If it is spongy only around the moldy area you may ... | ||
| Sad Cactus | 2/25/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: Maureen. I successfully completed the surgery. I found the spot of rot had gone all the way through, ... A: I was afraid of that. Good job tho. You can absolutely plant the calloused end, tho I'd wait a ... | ||
| Cactus ID | 2/24/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I am wondering if you can help me identify this cactus. It was grown in Canada by Sorensen ... A: I am not exactly sure which columnar cactus it is so I sent it along to some folks that will, so be ... | ||
| black rot on top and middle of cactus | 2/22/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I found your note to the lady who had an indoor cactus, helpful, but have a slightly different ... A: It's hard to tell how extensive that rot is but it is worrisome that there is a color change above ... | ||
| classification | 2/21/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: What kind of cactus is this? I'm really desperate, I've been poking around for hours but I haven't ... A: I believe you have a young melocactus there. When mature it will develope a cephalium, a wool- and ... | ||
| My airplant | 2/20/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: ! A: You've got me. I have not idea where you can buy it. I do suggest rooting powder if get that at a ... | ||
| blue agave care | 2/17/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: I recently acquired a "blue agave" plant (the kind used for tequila), but I'm not sure how to care ... A: I recently read about a blue agave that was grown in a greenhouse in Boston and bloomed after 50 ... | ||
| My airplant | 2/17/2011 | Maureen |
| Q: Can i cut the airplants leaves when broken or should i leave it to heal? And I dont know how to help ... A: The broken leaves won't heal. You can make a clean cut with a sterilized knife or scissors and ... | ||
Maureen
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions regarding the care and propagation of cactus and succulents and would actually group these together as folks often mistake one for the other and often their care is quite different. I also have a cold hardy cactus and succulent garden that has been quite successful. The subject in regard to classification of type is enormous and I wouldn't be able to answer all questions by any means. It is really IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE A PHOTO if at all possible and LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FROM, especially in terms of climate.
Experience
I have learned by reading books, by trial and error and by consulting with folks with much more knowledge. I have primarily grown C&S for the last 20 years.
Organizations
Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts.
Education/Credentials
No formal training. See experience.
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