Expert: Greg Simpson - 1/11/2006

Question
My father has had a cactus plant for 2 yrs. now, and is afraid it might be in trouble. He repotted it once, and it has been doing well, but we live in the NW, so because of the cold weather, he moved the plant near a window in the upstairs. A few days later, he checked on it, and it had drooped over backwards. He only waters once a month or whenever soil is dry. He has since propped the plant upright, but it now has faded from dark to pale green, and he has noticed 2 small brown spots on 2 arms near the base. I'm not sure what kind of cactus this is, but it looks very similar to Joseph's coat. Please Help!Thank you for any info!

Answer
Dear Sandy,

I apologize, but I have no idea what a Joseph's coat plant is or looks like. However, what it sounds to me like one of two things. If your father had the plant outside, it may have gotten frost bite. Other than rot from over watering, cold is the only thing that will cause that kind damage that quickly.

Also, because the damage happened so quickly, it sounds like your fathers plant is actually an Euphorbia, which looks like a cactus, but dies much faster when damaged than a cactus would. Euphorbia's are also very sensitive to overwatering, especially in winter. If the damage is at the very base of the plant (close to the soil), then there's not a whole lot you can do. Sorry for the bad news.

Sincerely,

Greg