Among these, some species of Echinocereus, as the plant you see in the photo, which I had given up for dead, and whitch instead was reborn after two winters spent entirely outdoors, exposed to the cold and humidity whitch characterizes northern Italy. In this article here is the history of this plant and a brief overview of the succulent plants that we can keep outdoors all year round. (…)

Premise

The precautions we take to protect our succulents during the winter months, particularly in the Northern regions, are important. Yes, because if it is true that most cacti and many succulents (to understand the difference between cacti and succulents you can read this article) have good resistance to the cold, it is equally true that too much watering or a night frost is enough to seriously damage these plants or, potentially, trigger rot, particularly if the cold is accompanied by prolonged environmental humidity conditions. Moving the plants to a place sheltered from the rain, covering them with various layers of non-woven fabric, sheltering them in not cramped greenhouses and airing them on sunny days is certainly the best solution to minimize losses. In some cases even this is not enough: think of cacti such as Melocactus, Discocactus and all epiphytes, or succulents originating from Madagascar and some African areas, such as many Euphorbias and all Adenium obesum. All these plants require minimum temperatures not lower than 15-16 Celsius degrees and must therefore be brought indoors from at least mid-October, when the night-time minimum temperatures begin to drop significantly.

Here you will find an article with two downloadable PDF handbooks with the ideal placement for the various succulents in winter.

The Echinocereus returned from the cold

Having made the necessary introduction, here is the story of this Echinocereus of mine who wanted to amaze me, at the same time giving me an important lesson and reiterating the concept – which I have already assimilated thanks to other experiences in the past – that with succulent plants it is important not to give anything for granted. The plant in question is an Echinocereus laui. I grow a few specimens of the Echinocereus genus and I grow them mainly for the flower, since I don’t find the stems or thorns of these plants particularly attractive (with a few exceptions such as E. lindsayi). The plant you see in the photos has been with me for several years. Doing some quick calculations, just under twenty years to be more precise and the story of his “apparent death” and rebirth (in the cold) dates back at least four years. Initially this plant, which I took while still very small, in a 6 or 7 centimeter pot, grew regularly, soon starting to take on its columnar shape (although its size was limited to about fifteen centimeters) and to flower regularly.

At a certain point, years ago, the main stem sent out a branch and the plant, little by little, took on a “double” appearance: over time the stem and the branch in short reached the same height. Well before the branch reached the main stem, however, the latter began to bend significantly, to the point that I decided to tie it to a plant support. In those years the plant grew regularly and flowered, as can be seen from the photo on the side. After further years, when the two stems were now even, the Echinocerus began to slow down its growth, until it stopped completely. The apex did not develop and did not produce new spines. In the meantime, the stems were bending more and more noticeably despite the support and the lower part of the plant began to take on a grey, not at all encouraging, appearance.

After a couple of seasons, seeing that the Echinocereus showed no signs of recovery and that the entire stem had now taken on an ugly greyish colour, I thought there was nothing left to do. The plant did not grow or flower. It showed no obvious signs of rot but the color of the stem seemed like a complete condemnation, to the point that I didn’t even bother to dig up the plant and check the roots. Considering it to be in fact already dead, I limited myself to removing it from the greenhouse and taking it outside, placing it along a low wall where I usually leave the plants affected by some fungus or otherwise dead. The wall is located along a field and offers no shelter from the rain and, obviously, from the cold. I use it mostly to let the plants go in peace when I think there’s nothing left to do…

The Echinocerus spent the final part of the summer in that position, the entire following winter and, since I completely forgot about it, the entire year after that, including the winter. Only after a year and a half, therefore, did the plant manage to attract my attention. How did it do? Simply flowering, so that while hanging out near the greenhouse I spotted a couple of spots of color in the distance (Echinocereus laui produces beautiful magenta flowers, not as large as those of other Echinocereus but still very showy). Not without surprise, I approached the wall after almost two years and discovered that the Echinocereus had not only survived two winters in the cold, in full humidity and receiving the rain that had fallen in all that time, but had started again. The recovery was evident: the apical part of the two stems was green, the plant had produced new thorns perfectly identical to the old ones, and had flowered. As proof of all this, here in this article are some of the photos I took on that occasion.

Here’s a good lesson for me: the plant I had given up on had come back to life, in my face, and had attracted my attention by starting to flower again. All this without any treatment from me, in fact, resisting the cold and humidity of two winters and returning to grow as if nothing had happened. Obviously, as soon as I discovered that the Echinocereus was in full vegetation and, even with the old part of the stem still grey, I brought it back to the greenhouse, where it is still found today and where every year the two stems, increasingly longer and increasingly prostrate (I gave up the support, letting the plant take on the shape it wanted or needed to take on) they regularly give me splendid blooms in late spring. Once again Nature has shown me that, no matter what we do, in the end it is always and only she who decides.

Succulents that tolerate cold

Despite the “rebirth” of my Echinocereus, it must be said that this genus of cactus is among the most inclined to tolerate low temperatures. Of course, as a precaution I don’t recommend keeping your Echinocereus outdoors all year round, also because some species resist better than others and not all would survive, but the genus is robust, there’s no doubt about that. 

As regards, more generally, succulent plants that tolerate the cold well and that we can leave outdoors all year round, albeit with some precautions, here is a small overview based on my experience over many years of cultivation.

As obvious as we want, but among the first succulents that have a good relationship with the cold we cannot fail to mention the Agaves. In many areas of Italy (even in the North, particularly in the areas close to lakes) and in southern France (French Riviera) these succulents can also be grown in the open ground. In pots they can remain outdoors all year round, although the advice is to keep them under sheds or porches to prevent the soil from remaining constantly damp. Among the Agaves, the exception is the macroacantha species, which cannot resist intense cold and excessive humidity. This species must therefore be sheltered and kept at temperatures no lower than 3 or 4 Celsius degrees. Also be careful with Aloes, which many mistakenly associate with Agaves. Aloes are plants of African origin and require significantly higher minimum temperatures than Agaves (although 6 or 7 Celsius degrees are sufficient) and should not be watered in winter.

Still remaining in the field of non-cacaceae succulents, the Sempervivum and Sedum (genera belonging to the Crassulaceae family) should be mentioned without hesitation. For these plants, which also grow in the mountains, winter is a… walk in the park and they thrive better in the cold than closed in a greenhouse or sheltered by layers of non-woven fabric. Sedum and Sempervivum can therefore be left outdoors all year round without any shelter from the rain: they grow better in the cold than in the oppressive heat of summer!

Cacti that resist outdoors

Most cacti can handle the cold very well, even intense temperatures, i.e. with night-time lows around zero Celsius degrees (even a few degrees lower), as long as they are in a dry substrate from the end of September. Some genera are even more robust and can be kept outdoors all year round, in some cases even in damp soil (but avoiding the stagnation that can be created with excessively peaty substrates or, worse, leaving the plants resting on saucers).

Among the most resistant cactaceae are undoubtedly almost all Echinopsis, which are often left on balconies and terraces with the only precaution of sheltering them from the rain (although these plants are often able to survive even in damp soil). Almost all Opuntias are very robust and, like the Agaves, in some areas (Southern Italy, the Ligurian Riviera, the French Riviera) grow in the open ground without any problem. Tephrocactus, Chilean plants that have some affinities with Opuntia, also tolerate the cold well and can spend the winter outdoors, as long as they are sheltered from the rain. However, a spray from time to time during the winter months is useful for these cacti, which if kept dry for months easily lose their “cladodes” (the new parts of the stem). Within the Tephrocactus genus, however, it is useful to keep the geometricus species sheltered, which is very “in fashion” in recent years: the cold and humidity easily cause stains on the stem of this cactus.

Other genera of cacti accustomed to spending long periods in intense cold are the Pediocactus and the Escobaria (almost all species). These are not very widespread genera but are ideal for those who want to grow cacti without having to move them in the winter months. Pediocactus and some species of Escobaria (for example E. vivipara) can tolerate temperatures several degrees below zero even in damp soil. For years I have kept some specimens of Pediocactus (simpsonii and knowltonii) and some Escobaria vivipara outside the greenhouse all year round, letting them get the rain even in winter: they have always resisted and flowered regularly.

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Correlated articles

• Where to keep succulents in winter?
• Succulents and cold: minimum temperatures
• Seasonal care for cacti and succulents
• Be careful of winter blooms

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L'articolo Succulents outdoor all year? Here are the ones that resist and the story of my “resurrected” Echinocereus proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

The following article is dedicated to this theme, which goes into detail about the cleaning and sterilization of vases (plastic and terracotta) and the materials used for the substrates (pumice, lapillus, gravel, etc.) which have been set aside after the last repottings carried out in recent months. (…)

Premise

The recycle of pots and aggregates is common practice. Obviously it is not always possible to recycle everything, but a good part of what has been used for the cultivation of our plants can easily be used for future repotting, as long as the materials are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Clearly, broken pots and peat must be eliminated since they have exhausted their “cycle” (the peat has already been exploited and would be of little use), but the first major distinction to make is whether those materials (pots and substrates) have given hospitality to plants in perfect health or if they have hosted plants that have died from rot or are otherwise affected by parasites. Let’s see everything in detail by dividing the two categories: vases and inert materials.

Recycle pots

Recycling pots, especially if you use plastic ones, is a must. First of all, we contribute (in our own small way, clearly) to the reduction of plastic production; secondly, you save money, because plastic vases are very long-lasting and can be washed extremely easily. If you use terracotta vases, recycling also takes on an additional value: you can reuse particular vases, perhaps “valuable” or in any case large and therefore expensive.

 PLASTIC POTS  – If no plant has died in the pot, you can limit yourself to a thorough washing with warm water and a detergent product. Even in these cases, however, adding a little bleach is always useful to eliminate germs and bacteria that may have formed while the vases were stacked waiting to be recycled. For washing, all you need is a sponge with a slightly abrasive side and a little bit of patience. Important: if you use bleach you should wear rubber gloves, the classic gloves for household work!

However, if a plant had died in the pot, you can decide to throw away the old container to eliminate the risk that the new “tenant” could contract the same fungus, or carry out a more in-depth operation. In this second case, rinse the vases well, then place them in a basin containing water and bleach and leave them to soak for a few hours (even a whole night if you want). After this period of time, wash the vases carefully, trying to reach every internal corner, with a slightly abrasive sponge, always with water and bleach. At the end, wash a second time with soap and water and rinse thoroughly. Once the vases are clean it is advisable to leave them in direct sun for at least a day: even intense sun helps to sterilize.

 TERRACOTTA VASES  – Unlike plastic vases, terracotta ones are porous: this is why cleaning is longer and more difficult, since an old terracotta vase may have limescale or greenish stains. If the vase is already clean enough, you can wash it carefully with soap and water and a drop of bleach. If, however, the vase is marked by limescale stains or moss residues, it can be immersed in a basin with water to which we add lemon juice, or bicarbonate or vinegar. We leave the vases to soak for a few hours and give them a vigorous wipe with a sponge, using the same water in which they were soaked. Once the “signs of old age” have been removed, proceed by washing the vase with water and soap and then placing it in direct sunlight for at least a day, to ensure that all the water evaporates from the porous walls.

If a plant has died from rot in the terracotta pot, there are two cases: if the pot is already old, chipped or of negligible value, it can be thrown away. However, if the vase is valuable, large or has a certain value, it can be cleaned thoroughly and then sterilized. The cleaning procedure is the same as described above, while as regards sterilization you can use the old boiling method (obviously if the jar is not huge): you place it in a cooking pot, fill everything with water and turn on the heat, leaving the vessel to “cook” until it boils. Once the water boils, turn it off and leave the jar to soak for at least twenty minutes. Alternatively, you can immerse the terracotta pots in water, adding an “aggressive” sanitizing solution, such as bleach (leaving them to soak for at least an hour). Once the vase has been cleaned and sterilized, it is placed in direct sunlight for at least a day, so that it can dry completely.

The procedures described above are applicable, up to a certain point, also to enamelled pots usually used for bonsai. In this case, they are usually valuable vases, enamelled on the outside and porous on the inside: all the more reason it is a shame to throw them away. A word of caution when dealing with this type of vase: in these cases it is best to avoid boiling (which could ruin the enamel), preferring bathing in water and bleach. Likewise, it is better to avoid abrasive sponges that could scratch or ruin the enamel.

The choice of vase? Here’s everything you need to know…

Recycle inert

In the cultivation of succulent plants, whether cacti or leafy succulents, many inert materials are used, i.e. materials useful for draining the substrate. The aggregates can be porous or smooth, each one has certain properties and the choice is truly remarkable and it is good to know them to choose the most suitable ones for the mix we want to create. In this article you will find an examination of most of the materials useful for preparing soil for succulents. Having said this, when you dig up the plants and thoroughly clean the roots you will find yourself with entire basins full of the old substrate, which, if done correctly, contains a lot of inert materials. Unlike peat, which becomes depleted over time and with the absorption of nutrients by the plant, aggregates retain their usefulness and this is why (as well as saving money) it is certainly a good thing to recycle them.

As with pots, however, it is important to point out that the substrate in which a plant has died or in which parasites have been found (for example, root cochineal) must be eliminated. The pots, as we have seen, can be washed and sterilized, but in the case of the substrate it is better not to take unnecessary risks: if a plant has rotted in that soil or if we have found parasites in that soil, we throw it away without hesitation.

If, however, the substrate has been recovered from the repotting of perfectly healthy plants (it is essential to carefully check that no parasites nest among the roots) we will be able to recycle it without problems. The first thing to do, once all the old substrate has been collected in buckets or basins, is to sift it, using a fine mesh sieve, so as to separate the actual aggregates from the peat, dust or clay. The fine part, now used, must be eliminated, while the aggregates are deposited in a clean container. Once all the aggregates have been obtained, we move on to sterilization, which is useful even if no plant has died in that substrate.

To sterilize inert materials there are different methods: for example, they can be spread on a cloth and sprayed with a non-aggressive disinfectant (let’s avoid bleach) then letting everything evaporate, or they can be boiled, exactly like terracotta vases. Finally, they can simply be spread out on a nylon sheet and left in direct sunlight for at least a week, allowing the sunlight and air to give a good cleaning to pumice, lapillus, gravel, quartzite, etc. In essence, the sterilization process of the aggregates is mild and rapid since if there were no parasites or bacteria present in the substrate that caused the plant to rot, it can simply be deduced that that soil was and is perfectly “healthy”.

Once the cleaning and sterilization operation has been completed, the aggregates can be put aside or used immediately for the composition of a new substrate, adding fresh peat, earthworm humus or any other element useful to the plant that will be repotted (for example chalk for some cactus genera).

Important note: when taking the plants out of the pot it is essential to thoroughly check their health and check that no parasites are nesting among the roots (here you can find a video on root mealybug). Only in this way can we have reasonable certainty that those aggregates can be recycled without problems. When in doubt, it’s better to throw everything away: it would be a shame to put the plants at risk just to save a handful of pumice or lapillus!

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Correlated articles

• Diseases and pests: all the articles
• Choose the right pot
• Substrates: all the articles
• Inert and materials
• Repotting: all the articles

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L'articolo Pots and inert in the cultivation of succulents: can we recycle them or is it better to throw everything away? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Even a young bat, entangled, poor him, among the deadly hooked thorns of an Ancistrocactus and died in that unwelcome embrace during the night, without my being able to notice it or do anything to free it. In many years of cultivation this has also happened to me as you will see in the photo in the article. Those who grow cacti, especially if they have a greenhouse (although singular encounters can also be had when growing them in a garden, on a terrace or on a balcony) know well that not only insects, but also many reptiles or small mammals usually slip through one plant and another. Lizards, spiders, ants, snails, mantises, small birds and mice (not so much the small ones, the so-called field mice, but the real rats, which devour any plant, thorns or no thorns) abound especially if you grow in countryside, where it is not uncommon to come across some harmless water snakes. They are abundant, in particular, if you prefer spartan cultivation, with reduced use of chemical products. Most of these “guests” do not cause any harm to the plants; still others are useful in the fight against parasites: think of ladybugs or of that little red spider visible to the naked eye that goes for a walk on the stems of cacti and which at first glance causes a stroke, but is actually a useful predator of the very harmful red spider, invisible to the naked eye (unlike the damage it causes to plants).

In this article here is an overview of the encounters with animals or insects that I have had in years of cultivation, both on a small balcony and in the current large greenhouse in the countryside. Above all, here is some useful information to understand which animals or insects are “friends” and which animals or insects are “enemy” and how to keep them at bay. (…)

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L'articolo Reptiles, rodents, insects: how many encounters while growing succulents! Here are the ones to avoid proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

With the beginning of autumn almost all succulent and cacti begin to prepare for the vegetative stasis which will last until February/March. In the winter months, cacti (with some exceptions such as Melocactus, Discocactus and epiphytes such as Epiphyllum) and many succulents (with the exception of those originating from the southern hemisphere or areas such as Madagascar) stop growth and go dormant to recover energies and be able to flourish during the following season. In these months the plants should be kept cold and should not be watered. However, it is useful to carry out some preventive treatments to prevent the formation of mold or fungi during these months, thanks to the winter humidity, which, when the temperature start to rise, triggers rot. Warning: preventive treatments with chemical products can be useful but do not necessarily have to be carried out. It is simply a preventive measure, since the best form of defense is always the spartan cultivation of plants accompanied by a good exchange of air during autumn and winter. There are growers who limit these treatments to the essentials, perhaps favoring products with a low environmental impact (I myself have adopted this decision for years) and growers who abuse chemical products in the hope of thus making their plants invulnerable to animal parasites, fungi and mold.

In this article, which completes what has already been explained in other articles (which you will find thanks to the internal links) we see what is advisable to do in these weeks to protect the plants and limit losses due to rot or parasites as much as possible. (…)

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L'articolo Here comes autumn: what treatments can we do to protect succulents and reduce losses? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Full sun? But what do you want to know, the window on the landing is enough! Substrate? I buy it ready at the supermarket, it’s perfect. The pots? The smaller the better: never leave more than half a centimeter between the plant and the edge of the pot… And so on, by dint of amenities, false beliefs, hearsay phrases that rapidly becomes dogma because… because it was said by that guy on Facebook and it’s immediately clear that he’s someone who knows about it because his videos has the right lights and Kubrick seems to have done the editing for him. Joking aside, how much nonsense do we still have to hear today about the cultivation of cacti? How many improvised “influencers” ride the crest of social media driven by the Mistral of likes (yes, likes, which in jargon are called “the metrics of vanity”…) and, supported by legions of followers and big thumbs up, they deliver lessons and conferences winking from the monitors, revealing “5 fantastic tricks you don’t know about cacti” or “how to go from seed to flowering plant in 35 seconds”. Or, with an attitude halfway between the conspiratorial and the revealer of esoteric secrets, they promise to teach you everything, absolutely everything about the cultivation of these splendid plants. Then, perhaps, you dig a little and discover that the influencer on duty has been growing cacti for 2 or 3 years – a gift from grandmother -, keeps them next to the PC or television (“you know, they absorb magnetic rays”), he can’t distinguish a Rebutia from a Begonia and has never bothered to leaf through any book on cacti and succulents. There are also influencers for plants, right? No. There are likeable and well-prepared characters, there are pretty faces who know something, but there is also a lot of “fluff” (forgive the old reporter’s term). So much wrong information, so much confusion and so much unpreparedness.

So, without any desire to offer you “The Word” with this article, here is a handbook, a list of ten things you need to know (or you should already know!) if you really want to cultivate your cacti in the best possible way. Without tricks or deceptions: here we are at the fundamentals, come on. But without these you go nowhere. And I am convinced that even those who, scrolling through the 10 points will say “ah yes, I know” ten times, will find in this handbook a useful tool for reviewing, asking themselves a few more questions and pushing themselves to improve. And rest assured, what follows does not come from the web, but from 30 years of experience in the field, of experiments and failures, from discussions with growers and scholars far more expert than me and from reading a few dozen manuals in Italian, English, French, Spanish (and also German, although in that case, I confess, I limited myself to photographs and captions, not knowing the Teutonic language!) (…)

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L'articolo How to grow cactus: the handbook with the 10 things you absolutely need to know to avoid mistakes proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Hydroculture and succulent plants sound, in some ways, like a conceptual oxymoron. Plants that have naturally evolved to cope with drought, rainfall concentrated in short periods of the year; plants that grow in extremely dry soils, in short, how can they get along with hydroculture? In other words, how can they be grown with a technique that requires the roots to be in constant contact with water? The answer is simple: they can’t. However … however in certain cases and following precise precautions, the constant contact of the roots of a succulent plant with water can be used to save that plant. Even if that plant is a succulent. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do these days to save two Astrophytum asterias of my sowing in conditions of extreme dehydration, on the verge of dying of thirst (which would be very strange for a cacti!). But let’s go step by step and see exactly what happened to these two plants and how (and why) I’m trying to save them through a kind of “temporary hydroculture”.

I explain everything with lots of photos in the following article, which I consider – in fact – the description of an experiment that is perhaps risky and certainly unorthodox but at the same time not devoid of logic. (…)

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L'articolo Severely dehydrated Astrophytum asterias: here’s a rescue attempt with… hydroculture! proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Unfortunately it is a less rare phenomenon than one might think. The flower itself, the maximum expression of the plant, its instrument for reproducing and safeguarding the species, can transform itself into its executioner. With cacti, plants that require seasonal rest corresponding to the winter months, the flower can sometimes be fatal. It obviously only happens with those species that flower in mid-winter, therefore a small minority compared to all cacti. But it is often precisely from there, from that flower that blooms in November, December or January, that the rot is triggered and which, if neglected or not seen, can lead the specimen to death. This is what happened to two of my Ferocactus latispinus in recent days. Or rather, in the past few weeks, except that the damage has become apparent recently. And now it was too late to intervene and save the plants.

In this article we look into this phenomenon and see what can be done to prevent it or, at least, be able to intervene before the rot passes from the flower to the plant. (…)

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L'articolo Be careful of winter blooms: rot can start from here. Here are the species at risk proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

In cacti, as well as in agaves, this is a common phenomenon, and in some species, it never happens, in others it very easily happens, even with young plants. Attention: we are not talking about true seedlings born under the stem of the mother plant from seeds that have fallen from the latter, but about authentic new bodies that are attached to the main stem and sprout from the latter, and then grow steadily in size. The correct term is “suckers”, and anyone who grows cacti or has looked at this plant family in a nursery or botanical garden will have seen one or more suckers. Why do cacti produce suckers or pups, which genera are more likely to suck and are less so? And again, the most frequently asked question: is it true that pups steal energy from the mother plant and reduce flowering? Can the suckers themselves blossom? Another frequently asked question: is it better to leave them attached to the mother plant or remove them? Can they be used as cuttings to obtain new plants identical to the mother plant, and in the event of disease of the latter, can they be detached to save it and reproduce it? In other words, how to propagate cactus pups?

In this article, we take a closer look at the subject and answer all these questions (…).

Some premises to frame the topic

In order to frame the topic, let us start with the definition of “sucker” (or pups) taken from the booklet “Conoscere e Coltivare le Piante Succulente” (Knowing and Growing Succulent Plants) published in 2005 by the Italian Succulent Plant Lovers Association (AIAS). The glossary at the end of the booklet, under the heading “sucker”, reads: “Branch usually originating from an adventitious bud“. Let us supplement the description with the one given by Treccani online encyclopedia to the term “adventitious” so as to get the full picture: “An adventitious organ is said to be formed far from the vegetative apex of the axis and therefore on adult parts; as opposed to normal“.

So, talking about the sphere of cacti, it can be stated that cactus pups or cactus suckers are nothing more than branches originating from the main stem, born from adventitious buds, i.e. not at the plant’s apex. It is not by chance that the suckers are always located at the base of the main stem. Growing around it and contributing to giving the cactus the “tufted” habit that we are accustomed to seeing in, for example, Echinopsis, many Mammillaria, Rebutia and Sulcorebutia, to offer just a few examples. The phenomenon of suckering is also common in Agave: even relatively small specimens soon begin to produce suckers around the base, through which the plant can be easily multiplied.

The shapes of cacti: a specific article.

Therefore suckers are branches, not autonomous plants born from seeds originating from the mother plant, nor deformations of the stem. They are offshoots of the plant, which develops and grows in this way. The suckers (or pups), in fact, are attached to the mother plant. In some cases, the point of contact is extremely thin and delicate, so much so that a slight twisting of the sucker is sufficient to detach it. In other cases, especially after years, the point of contact is strong, and to take off the sucker it is necessary to cut it off.
The fascinating thing is that often the suckers behave as “abnormal” branches, in the sense that they do not simply develop while remaining dependent on the mother plant but produce autonomous roots themselves. This is particularly the case in cacti having a globular habit, which, thanks to the development of suckers, take on a bushy habit over time (e.g. Echinopsis). Proper branches, on the other hand, are generally produced by columnar cacti. This usually happens over a very long period of time and, in some species, exclusively in the wild, as with Carnegiea Gigantea (the so-called Saguaro).

Over the years, I have witnessed, particularly with Echinopsis, a particular phenomenon, the cause of which is not known to me: in long-since suckered specimens, the main stem has begun to wither and then dry up completely. On the contrary, the suckers around the mother plant have always remained in perfect health, so much so that all I had to do was to take them off and re-pot them (over time, they had produced perfect root systems) to save the plant and at the same time multiply it. All the plants to which this phenomenon happened were healthy and not subject to any attack by pests, and the central stem did not show any traces of rot (also because, in that case, it would soon have transmitted it to the suckers). Rather, it seemed to me that the central body, having exhausted its function as a ‘producer’ of branches, had just finished its life cycle, thus deciding to “take off the trouble” and let the descendants grow… In such cases, more for a simple aesthetic factor than anything else, I flared the plant, detached the suckers and re-potted them, throwing away the central stem, now dry and dead.

The function of cactus pups

Suckers or pups, again remaining in the Cactaceae family, are branches, as we have seen, so their function is no other than that which follows the plant’s normal development. Many cacti initially have a globular habit, with a single stem. At a certain point in their development, however, the plant begins to emit one or more branches, which over time grow to the same size (in many cases, not always!) as the main stem. As the years go by, the pups increase not only in volume, but also in number, and give the plant its typical tufted appearance. Here again, the most common example is Echinopsis. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the suckers serve the plant to multiply since they are attached to the main stem and are only its extension. It is clear, however, that if for some reason (the passage of an animal, a storm, etc.), a sucker detaches itself, moves away from the mother plant and begins to sink its roots into the soil, it can perform the function of “reproducer” of the plant. This is what we can do by manually detaching the suckers and re-potting them in separate containers, with the effect to grow more plants (I will discuss this in more detail later).

Do all cacti produce pups or only some species do?

Absolutely not. Not all genera of cacti are prone to producing suckers. Even within the same genus, there may be species that readily suck and others that retain a single stem even as they age (e.g. the genus Mammillaria). Plants with a solitary stem that almost never suckers are, for example, those belonging to the genera Ferocactus, Astrophytum, Echinocactus, Copiapoa, Epithelantha, Turbinicarpus, Ariocarpus, Ancistrocactus. Beware, these are broad indications, because, in reality, any Cactaceae could emit suckers. If it does not do so because of a genetic issue, it could still do so because of an external factor. Which brings us to another question: can suckers depend on abnormal growth?

Abnormal growth and cactus pups: the differences

Even cacti that would not produce suckers except at a very old age, as some Echinocactus and Copiapoa, can suck as the effect of abnormal development of the main stem. This phenomenon always follows an episode of stress (environmental or “mechanical”). In other words, the plant reacts to unsuitable growing conditions by emitting suckers (probably to give itself a better chance of survival). Similarly, and very frequently, a cactus can begin to sprout pups following a parasite attack (mealybug, spider mite) or after a mechanical trauma such as a blow (moving or re-potting a plant can always happen, and it can get out of hand…). In all these cases, especially if the damage is near the apex, the plant may take on a habit that is not typical for that species and emit suckers. It has happened to me several times with Astrophytum, Copiapoa and Turbinicarpus: plants that, under normal conditions, would not produce suckers except at a very advanced age.

An important question: do suckered plants flower less?

One of the most widespread beliefs among succulent enthusiasts is this: the suckered plants do not flower or flower less than single-stemmed plants. This is a mistaken belief. It is clear that the suckers absorb water and energy together with the mother plant, and therefore both water and energy must be shared between several subjects, but it is equally clear that, since they are branches, everything contributes to the common cause, i.e. to the development of the plant, whether it is a clumped or a solitary plant. It may be the case that in the initial phase when the suckers are still small, the mother plant will flower less profusely, but we take into account that once the suckers have grown, they will begin to bloom, contributing to the overall result.

As far as my own experience is concerned, for about thirty years I have never seen any significant reduction in the flowering of suckered plants. I have several plants of the same genus and species, and when a single specimen flowers, the suckered specimen of the same species also flowers. In all these cases, there is little or no difference in flowering. In short: I have never had single plants with ten flowers and suckered plants (obviously of the same species and obtained from the same sowing) with only one. On the contrary, it happens to me every year that in the rectangular pot full of Echinopsis oxygona that I keep on my balcony at home, the many heads produce 15 to 20 flowers at a time.

One thing, however, can be said with relative certainty: the suckered plant has less vigorous and slower growth than the plant without suckers. In other words, if the specimen is surrounded by suckers, the same genus and species growth will be less noticeable overall, as it is spread over several bodies. If the plant is solitary, it is clear that it will concentrate all its energy on the single stem, with the result that growth will appear more evident and faster.

Is it better to keep suckers or to detach them?

When we talk about cactus pups, one of the most common questions is: is it better to keep them or to detach them? If we think about it, it is a question whose only sense can be found in the aesthetic sphere. Whether a cactus produces suckers because it has suffered damage, or whether it produces them simply because it decides that this is what it must do, does not change the substance: the plant is just following the course of Nature.

The only answer to the question “is it better to leave the suckers or remove them” can only be: it is an aesthetic question. If you prefer the plant with a solitary stem, you can remove the suckers and use them as cuttings to reproduce the plant. If, on the other hand, you like the plant tufted, leave it to nature. Be careful, however: if you want to remove the suckers, only do so if they detach easily from the mother plant. If it is necessary to cut, e.g. because the sucker is very old and the junction point with the main stem is wide, it is necessary to cut exactly as we would do with a cutting, i.e. with a disinfected blade and taking care to sprinkle the wounds with healing powder (even ordinary cinnamon powder is fine), both on the mother plant and on the sucker. Apart from the aesthetic factor, which for me also includes the “philosophical” one (because I prefer to leave it to nature, exactly as would be with the specimen in its habitat), there may be two valid reasons for detaching all (or only some) suckers. If a sucker is rotting, for example, it is obvious that we should remove it as soon as possible to prevent it from transmitting the fungus to the mother plant or the other suckers. Similarly, but in reverse, if the main stem is rotting or withered, it will be better to remove all the suckers and save at least those.

The second reason why it may be a good idea to detach one or more suckers is for the quick reproduction of the plant. In this case, it is enough to wait until the sucker is well-formed and has taken root. At that point, we can detach it and thus have one or more clones of the mother plant.

How to reproduce the plant by suckers and how to propagate cactus pups

Reproduction by suckers is a reproduction by cuttings: a piece of the plant is used to obtain a clone. With suckers, it is easier because (if we are not in a hurry) they are already formed and rooted plants. The procedure is very easy, especially if carried out during re-potting and with the mother plant unplanted. Detach the sucker by rotating it on its axis until the point of connection with the main stem gives way. If the connection with the mother plant is firm, it will be necessary to cut it off cleanly with a cutter. Once the sucker is detached, leave the mother plant in an airy place and avoid watering and misting for at least ten days so that the wound heals. We do the same with the sucker: leave it in a shady, airy place so that the junction with the mother plant dries out completely, just like the roots. After a week or two, re-pot the sucker in common cactus soil and wait a few more days before watering.

The best time for these operations, as the plant is reproducing, is late spring, after the plant has started to vegetate again. In this season, the suckers will be active and take root easily. The operation is to be avoided during the winter unless it is necessary to save the mother plant or the sucker.

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Correlated articles

How much light do cactus need? A summary table
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use
When and how fertilize cactus and succulent plants

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo What are cactus ‘suckers’ or pups? Is it better to remove them? Do they affect flowering? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Who hasn’t happened at least once to observe in some office, apartment or even non-specialized nurseries (or garden) those cone-shaped cacti with thin spines and pale green stem? Cacti with a rounded base and an elongated apex, tapered to the point of giving the plant an almost pyramidal shape. The novice grower may think that is the normal bearing of the plant, but the grower with some experience – or even just a critical mind – usually is horrified at such plants. If anything, he or she may be saddened, because he or she knows full well that that is not the normal bearing of the cacti at all, but simply the outcome of what is technically called “etiolation” or, commonly, “spinning.” By the way, the photos above and those accompanying this article are of plants in a nursery and not mine, I want to make that clear right away!

Why does this fate happen to some cacti? How to avoid cactus etiolation and how to distinguish it from normal growth or from growth that is simply dissimilar to normal? Is it possible to remedy the damage caused by spinning on a cactus? We answer these questions in the following article. (…)

Let us first clarify that cactus etiolation is a phenomenon that affects not only cacti, but all botanical families. If anything, the problem with cacti is that it is generally an arrestable but, unfortunately, irreversible process. If in leafy plants, shrubs and trees in general it’s indeed possible to remedy by perhaps even drastically pruning the “spindly” branches, in cacti there is little that can be done to restore the plant to its original state. The reason is obvious: cacti develop through single or at most suckered and only rarely branched bodies (think of some candelabra-like cereus), but on the whole the shape of the stem is the shape of the plant, is its appearance. It is one and the same in short. That’s why effectively remedying etiolation is very difficult: you can bring the plant back to an acceptable condition, but if the phenomenon has affected drastically, returning to the original form will be impossible. I will discuss this in more detail later.

Definition of etiolation in cacti and succulent plants

Let us first see what exactly is meant by the term “etiolation” from a botanical point of view. A brief but at the same time comprehensive answer can be found in the easy-to-read booklet, “Conoscere e coltivare le piante succulente” (“Knowing and Growing Succulent Plants“) published by the Italian Succulent Plant Lovers Association (Rome, November 30, 2005), which defines this phenomenon as follows: “Physiological process that occurs in plants when they are in a condition of insufficient light, consisting in an elongation and thinning of stems and branches that thus increase the surface area suitable for photosynthesis“. The first basic clue is that this is a physiological process, thus in some ways “natural.” Natural in a relative sense, since it’s a plant response to suboptimal (in not wrong) growing conditions. In fact, the definition goes on saying that etiolation occurs when plants are in “an insufficient light condition“. So the real cause of this phenomenon is the lack of light. Plants “spin,” as it is commonly said, not when they are in an inadequate substrate or when they are watered too frequently or infrequently or when they are over – or under- fertilized. Plants go into etiolation when they do not get enough light.

However, this concept is also relative and should be commensurate with the needs of the plant. It’s well known that there are plants that can survive only with limited exposure, filtered by other plants. Think of orchids, which do not tolerate direct sun because they are plants native to tropical or subtropical areas and thrive leaning against the branches of trees and shrubs whose foliage shields them from direct sunlight. There are plants that grow perfectly well in half-shade, that is, with bright light for only a few hours, and plants that grow well only when invested with maximum sunlight throughout the day. And this is the case with most cacti, which thrive in semi-desert areas, often in areas where there is little or almost no vegetation. At most, some cacti receive shelter from rocks or shrubs or, in the case of seedlings, from the shade cast by the mother plant. Even in these cases, however, the light they can benefit from is intense and lasts from dawn to dusk. Of course, there are also many cacti that do not tolerate direct sun and grow only under the shelter of boulders and leafy plants, as in the case of the Epiphyllums that live in rainforests and in the case of the “Christmas Cactus” (Schlumbergera) .

Having clarified this first fundamental aspect, the second part of the description helps us understand what the effects of etiolation are and why they occur. Etiolation involves an “elongation and thinning of stems and branches that thereby increase the surface area suitable for photosynthesis“. In other words, plants go in search of light, just as we would go to grasp a distant object: we stretch, we make an effort. The difference is that human beings have a limit and can stretch only within precise physical boundaries (except moving through space simply by walking!), then returning to their original posture once the effort is made. Plants do not have this limit and can elongate far beyond their original status, but they pay a very steep price, which is precisely etiolation, an irreversible process involving the permanent deformation of the plant itself. Branches or stems grow out of all proportion – desperate for the light they hope to find beyond the area of shade in which they find themselves – and once the effort is made they remain deformed, elongated, thinned, with the result that the plant loses its compact and orderly appearance. In other words, it loses its natural look.

Etiolation in cacti, how it occurs

Calming the above definition to the world of cacti, we can add that etiolation is always accompanied by discoloration of the stem, which turns from dark green or bright green to light green. In leafy plants this phenomenon affects the leaves themselves, which turn yellow. Whether stems or leaves, discoloration is always due to the deficiency of chlorophyll, which is produced, as everyone knows, by photosynthesis, that is, with the help of sunlight. In very severe cases, as in many of those you see in the photos accompanying this article, the shape of the stem can alter to the point where a globular bearing cactus (e.g., Echinocactus grusonii) takes on a columnar habit with the apex rising in height while shrinking more and more. For those who are not familiar with cacti, the result may not raise particular questions (although from the point of view of aesthetics there would still be quite a lot to say), but those who have the slightest familiarity with cacti cannot help but be horrified at such compromised specimens. In cacti, moreover, etiolation greatly affects the formation of new spines, which grow much thinner in the “spun” part than they should. Indeed, in cases of severe etiolation the spines are almost insubstantial and sparser than normal.

Etiolation or abnormal growth of the plant?

In severe cases, etiolation of cacti is very easy to recognize. Unless you have no knowledge of this botanical family, it will immediately appear abnormal if the plant has a spun, discolored, thornless apex. If you see it in a nursery, forget about it: it would be a wrong purchase since there is no way back, from an aesthetic point of view. The principle of cactus etiolation, on the other hand, may not appear so obvious. At least not to the experienced grower. We take a good look at the plants, and if we have doubts about their shape, we look online for photos of those same plants in habitat. This will be enough to give us an idea of the correct habit that that plant should have: globular, columnar, branched, tufted, etc. Unmistakable clues to a principle of etiolation are discoloration of the stem apex, which may appear pale green, and the absence of new spines (or the formation of spines that are significantly thinner than they should be). In these cases the plant is beginning to spin and is telling us that it desperately needs light. Be careful, however: let’s not move it into direct sun right away, because the apex of the plant is delicate, especially if it is beginning to etiolate, and we would only burn it. We move the plant to a brighter place for a few weeks, then, if it is a cactus that wants direct sun, we can move it outdoors.

The novice grower may find it difficult to distinguish between true etiolation, abnormal growth or even regular growth. In fact, it may happen that a cactacea with a globular habit grows in height. This is not always a sign of etiolation. Let’s take a close look at the plant: if the stem has no narrowing in the direction of the apex, if the spines are uniform, if the plant has no bottlenecks or discoloration, this is not etiolation but an abnormal growth. This can be due to several factors: first, we have to consider that over the years many cacti tend to become brevicylindrical from globose. They also do this in habitat and it’s normal: many Ferocactus and Echinocatus have this “habit” as do Euphorbia obesa.

Cactus and succulent plants: a guide to identification and classification.

If, however, we are not dealing with large or aged specimens, then it will be abnormal growth due to other factors. Excluding genetics, which we cannot investigate and intervene on, growing factors are irrigation, fertilization, temperature, and substrate. Overfertilization can easily alter the bearing of any plant, as the use of an unsuitable substrate. Also the exposure, even if not insufficient to the point of causing etiolation, may not be adequate, leading that plant to grow differently than Nature intended. By restoring proper growing conditions, we are unlikely to cause the abnormally grown plant to resume a right look, but if nothing else, we will encourage new and proper growth.

What to do against cactus etiolation

Once we have determined that there’s a principle of etiolation or that our plant has been etiolated for some time, we can take corrective action. Beware, however: as I have written, unfortunately there’s no going back, and the etiolated part will remain forever. If we have a branching succulent plant we can prune off the etiolated branches or pull off the yellowed or elongated leaves, but if the etiolation concerns a cactacea… we have to surrender to the evidence and engage us at least to bring the plant back to proper developmental condition. It’s not rare that with time and new growth the etiolated part will become less noticeable, and the plant will react in a surprising way, taking on a bearing that is indeed abnormal but interesting and aesthetically pleasing. This is what happened to the Echinocactus grusonii that I discuss at the end of this article. In any case, once we identify etiolation or the principle of etiolation in a cactacea, all we can do is try to improve the light conditions by gradually moving it. Never put a plant (etiolated or not) in full sun if that plant is not used to direct light: we only expose it to the risk of severe sunburn. We need to read up on the type of plant (e.g., Cactacea or Euphorbia?), figure out what its light requirements are (direct or filtered sun?) and arrive at the correct exposure in stages. While we re-accustom the plant to the right light intensity, we must reduce watering and suspend fertilization. We also postpone repotting so as to avoid further stress to the plant at this delicate stage.

To find out what the various light requirements of succulents are, you can consult this article, which contains a summary table.

If the plant is healthy and if we can give it the correct amount of light (not only in terms of intensity, but also in terms of hours of sunlight), we are able to stop the etiolation process. At that stage, patience is necessary: the plant resumes growing properly, enlarge the apex, which regains its correct coloring, and forms new spines in line with the old ones, that is, stronger and thicker. In other words, the apex returns to normal, and if we look at the plant from above, we don’t see anything abnormal. If we look at it from the side, we can observe the enlarged base, then the bottleneck in correspondence with the etiolation period, and finally the new growth. The effect, in most cases, is that of an “hourglass”, but if we have nipped the etiolation in the bud, there is a chance that the aesthetic damage becomes less and less visible over time.

Finally, we have to consider an important factor: a “spartan” cultivation, in short, that tries to imitate as much as possible the conditions in which cacti are found in their habitat, can only fortify the plants, slow down the growth rates and, at the same time, prevent etiolation of the stems by contributing to the maintenance of the correct and compact form that these plants have.

Beware of winter: should I bring succulents inside?

For those who grow cacti and succulents correctly, placing them in the proper place during the growing season, winter is he only period at risk of etiolation. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a greenhouse, and even those who have a garden or a large terrace are forced to shelter cacti and succulents as best they can in winter, particularly in areas of northern Italy. Many resort to the stairwell, others use garages or other cold rooms. Some growers use mountable greenhouses or repair plants with layers of nonwoven fabric. In all these cases, if you stop watering altogether from the end of September and if the plants experience a consistent drop in temperatures, there are no problems. This is because under these conditions succulents stop vegetating and stunt new growth while waiting for spring.

If, on the contrary, succulents do not go into stasis, for example because you continue to water while keeping the plants in a heated place or at least at minimum temperatures of not less than 10 Celsius degrees, the risk of etiolation is real. This happen also because one of the first rules for growing cacti (I mean most of the species) involves avoiding “indoor” cultivation, that is, in an apartment. Even if placed on a south-facing windowsill, cacti will never get enough light and especially not for the amount of hours they need for proper growth. While this is true at any season of the year, it’s more true in winter, when the incidence of sunlight is very low and the hours of light are drastically reduced. If we do not stunt growth, in such low light conditions the plant will only continue to vegetate by etiolating, that is, by going in search of light. It is for this reason (as well as to encourage blooms) that it is essential to overwinter cacti and many succulents in the cold. Beware of exceptions, of course: tropical succulents and some genera of cacti do not tolerate too low a minimum (e.g., Melocactus, Discocactus, Schlumbergera). In these cases we can keep the plants indoors, watering no more than once a month just to contain growth.

If we don’t have an unheated place to shelter the plants, we are forced to take them to the apartment. In these cases, we try to place them in the least heated and most lighted room and still suspend watering so as to push the plants to an abrupt slowdown in growth. Finally, let’s keep in mind an important element: if we stop vegetation altogether by keeping the plants in the cold (for example, with lows around 5 Celsius degrees) and suspending watering, the importance of light is relative and we are able to keep cacti and succulents, in winter, even in dimly lit places without running the risk of etiolation. The ideal solution (I realize that this is not always possible) is not to move the plants, that is, to keep them where we grow them in the growing season, i.e., a balcony, a terrace, a greenhouse, while sheltering them from the cold and rain in the fall and winter months (e.g., with layers of nonwoven fabric or with canopies). In this way the plants will follow natural light cycles, enjoy the right temperatures, and fortify themselves while avoiding the risk of etiolation altogether.

Incidentally: it’s for reasons such as those I have outlined above that very often, in non-generic nurseries, we see cacti and succulents terribly spindled, as in the photos I took in recent days in a nursery and publish in this article. There is a tendency in nurseries to try to keep plants always “bloated” and palatable for sale, watering them year-round and sheltering them with overly dense shade nets (necessary for other, more delicate plant families and perhaps kept on the same benches).

Abnormal reactions to etiolation in cacti

In some cases, following etiolation, cacti may react abnormally when restored to optimal conditions for recovery. This is what happened to the Echinocactus grusonii you see in the photo here. The plant, with its typical globular habit, was given to me four years ago. It was kept for at least a couple of years on an office window sill by the previous owner, in inadequate light conditions. When it was given to me it was in very poor condition: the base was rounded and with spines of correct consistency, but the lack of light had caused the apex to grow tall, taking on the characteristic cone shape of heavily etiolated cacti. The apical part was also pale green and virtually spineless: it had only the hint of a few very thin and sparse spines. In short, a disaster. I took the plant to “save” it and, without repotting it, took it to the greenhouse, in a corner sheltered from direct sun. The Echinocactus stayed in that corner for a whole year, receiving very little watering. In this way I began to accustom the plant to brighter light.

After the first year, when I saw that the apex had begun to regain its proper deep green color, I moved the plant outside to half shade. The cactus received direct light only in the early morning hours and then switched to shade. During the second year, the thorns resumed growing properly, but the plant did something that cacti usually do following a damage to the apex (such as from a bump or some insect bite): it began suckering profusely. The apex became covered with suckers, i.e., new heads with strong, long, golden-yellow spines.

Since the plant suckered, I always kept it outdoors from March through September, watering at most once a month if it was not raining. The result, about four years later, is what you see in the photo. When viewed from above, the plant shows no signs of etiolation and has a very interesting shape, with numerous suckers and beautiful spines. If you look at it from the side you can still see the elongated stem, but with time and the development of suckers I am sure that the damage will almost completely disappear and the Echinocactus will become unique, i.e. heavily suckered and definitely beautiful, harmonious in its new form.

A few photographs of cactus etiolation

Below is a gallery of pictures of heavily etiolated Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae. The photos were taken at a nursery not specialized in succulent plants. Click on the image to enlarge it.

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Correlated articles

How much light do cactus need? A summary table
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use
When and how fertilize cactus and succulent plants

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo When the cactus “spins”: what is etiolation, how to prevent it and contain the damage proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Let’s talk about cacti and diseases starting from a simple photo. The plant that inspired this article, and which you see above, is (or rather, was) an Ancistrocactus (=Glandulicactus) mathssonii. I had obtained this specimen with my sowing about ten years ago and fortunately eight or nine other “brothers” of this plant are still in perfect health, growing and flowering regularly. This particular plant, although treated exactly like the other specimens of that sowing and planted in the same type of substrate in which my other mathssonii live (clay, marl and 60% aggregates), a couple of years ago took a fungal pathology and within a few weeks it was dead. I think it was fusarium, but today it doesn’t matter, because the disease has run its course and what remains is… the armor of this cactus, that is a beautiful interweaving of thorns that embraces the void left by the stem which, over time, it dried up until it decomposed and disappeared altogether. The observation of what remains of this plant, which for a couple of years I have kept along a low wall not far from the greenhouse, where I usually move the diseased plants (by diseases, in this case, I mean generically pathogens and parasites) to prevent them from infecting other specimens, led me to some considerations on the cultivation and treatment of plant diseases.

Considerations that I have condensed in the following article an excerpt of which was also published in the British Cactus and Succulent Society newsletter. (…)

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L'articolo Cacti and diseases: stop anxiety, sometimes we can’t help but let Nature take its course proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.