Expert: Greg Simpson - 7/2/2006

Question
Dear Greg,

I really hope you can help me. I rescued an opuntia prickly pear cactus about a year ago from  our local garden store - it grew at an incredible rate and is now about 5 x its original height (it even bore a couple of fruit!)

It got so heavy it cannot take its own weight and has to be propped against a wall. It got ridiculous with the amount of new growths on the cactus so we took a lot of these off and have repotted them. Now the bottom part of the cactus which supports ALL of its weight is turning slowly paler and browny/yellow and looks rippled?! I am really worried it is dying - can you tell me what you think? I really want to save it if i can! I could try and cut off other sections and repot them i suppose but would like your expertise please?!

Thanks so much

Tamar

Answer
Dear Tamar,

Poke the yellow/brown part with the eraser end of a pencil. If it is soft, then it is rotting and you will need to take cuttings and plant them. If it is hard, then it is normal. As cactus get taller, the bottom of the main stem stops photosynthesizing and turns to wood, and changes from green to brown.

That way, it can support the weight of the plant. Hopefully this is the case here. Let me know if it is not. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Greg