Expert: Greg Simpson - 8/1/2006

Question
Hi..

I work in an office building in Australia and have a ccactus on my desk....its about 10-15cm tall...is round and has red spikes that kind of hook at the end...and has white stuff - like snow...on each of its little pokey out bits (this is a great description I know)...

anyway when I came back from the weekend it was sagging down on one side - I poked it a bit and found it is going mushy and soft at the base - seems to be doing this on both sides....I certainly havent overwatered it - so I thought maybe it needed water - and gave it a little tiny bit incase....

is there anything I can do? or is it just going to die?....the top part seems ok still - but I figure that doesnt really mean anything if the roots are all rotted and mushy...  

Answer
Dear Jenny,

Unfortunately with a barrel type of cactus (probably a Ferocactus based on your description), once the roots have rotted, there isn't anything that can be done. Very seldomly, they will heal and be ok, although not very pretty. I have one that 1/2 of the plant died, and the other 1/2 is still growing. In my plants case, it is a clustering variety so eventually the damage won't be noticable. I'm not sure in you plants case it that will happen. Sorry for the bad news.

Sincerely,

Greg