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cactusn00b

heat damage?

CactusN00b
10 years ago

Short story...Is this heat damage?

less short story. .. I had many of my plants in a cheap greenhouse for the winter (if you call what we get in central Florida winter), but we had a day last month we the temp literally went from 40's one night to low 80's the next day or two. Greenhouse door was closed due to expected rain that didn't come, and quite a few of my plants were exposed to the heat and no air circulation. I lost a few plants completely and others were just damaged. I am just wanting to verify that this is heat damage and not just a coincidence in timing and something else.

The desert rose has the withered looking and now deflated root which was full the previous day. the skin on the root feels normal, not squishy or slimy, just deflated inside. It also has three dark spots that feel soft-ish. the rest of the plant seems fine. Subterranean roots do not appear to have any rot.

if this is just heat damage , can it recover? should i remove the damaged root? should i remove the dark spots from the caudex?

Thanks in advance.
{{gwi:340652}}

Comments (6)

  • rcharles_gw (Canada)
    10 years ago

    I am no expert, but I think that this plant needs to be repotted. Although they do not mind being in a smallish pot, this one to me, is far too small.
    The shriveled root should be removed and you will be able to see if any discoloration continues further which would need to be removed.
    Clean blade or pruners with alcohol between each cut. Let all cut portions to dry for a day especially. If going to be under soil level.
    I do not think the shriveled root is due to heat.
    Rick

  • maark23 TX/8a
    10 years ago

    It kind of looks like rot. But then you say it's not soft so I'm not sure. I would also cut off that shriveled root.

    Mark

  • CactusN00b
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks for the advise. I'll prune the root and well see what happens.

    I was also thinking , maybe the humidity caused this. At any rate , lesson learned; keep them out of the green house.

  • Pagan
    10 years ago

    i don't think it is either the heat or humidity---adeniums thrive in both. From experience, I know that these plants can handle significant extremes, provided they are acclimatized to it. So I am thinking it is the drastic change in temperature that shocked the plant. Most likely, it was already under stress from being in such a small pot for it's size and was thus made more susceptible to damage.

    Rick has significantly more experience so I'd do as he suggested. I've only experimented on pruning healthy roots and when not under stress for whatever reason, adeniums survive significant root surgery.

    I hope you will post pictures when you re-pot and update us on how it turns out. Good luck.

    Pagan

  • CactusN00b
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So here's the trim and re-pot. There was a little more damage hidden under the removed root. Its on he main root of the plant, so I didn't remove it just yet. Keeping my eye on it to see if it worsens.
    I took the picture before i went back and cleaned up the cut at the base of the removed root. Its not dark now like in the picture.
    I cut the shriveled root in half after removing it to see if it was rotted inside and it didn't look very bad.
    Hoping this survives or it will become my first grafting experiment.
    {{gwi:340653}}
    {{gwi:340654}}

  • ginger9899
    10 years ago

    That looks great, hopefully you got it all. If you did I bet it has a good chance of surviving. A lot of people seal cuts like that with something like Elmars wood glue to keep moisture out while it heals. I do sometimes myself, and have also left the "wound" open and just made sure to keep that part dry. I wonder about those 3 dark spots myself, they are strange to me. I hope they aren't bad. I know how frustrating things like this are, I have my fingers crossed for you.

    -Heather