Help! Leaning Cactus

10 years ago

Hello! I've just inherited a few plants, including this cactus. As you can see, it is leaning quite a bit and the end has not grown the same diameter as the bottom. (Lack of water? Pot too small?)

It has been rotated to the position you see for about a month. My assumption is that it will eventually move towards the light...?

Anyway, what is the best method to get this guy back on the right track? I tried to transplant another cactus to a larger pot awhile back. He didn't make it through the transfer, so my track record isn't that great.

It does not seem to be rotting at the base (e.g. it is solid).

This is the only semi-relevant post I saw: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cacti/msg0909041918547.html

I put a CD there for scale...

Many thanks!

Comments (6)

Pots_Alot
10 years ago
Lack of good lighting yes eventually it will upright in the better lighting that it's getting now but not fill in in circumference as easily
wiley1983
10 years ago
personally, i think it looks really neat and unique this way, i would leave it the way you have it and it may grow with a curve towards the window making it even more different looking, keep us posted of its growth!!!!!
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kaktuskris
10 years ago
Lack of light caused etiolation, the weak narrow growth you see. If it were mine, I would cut the cactus where the diameter is greatest, and promote new growth from side branches. The thin segments will never fatten up, and even if you did put the plant in brighter light, only the new growth would be fatter, and the plant could not support itself with the fatter growth on top of the thin section. After I cut the top off, I would stake the plant to keep it upright, so the new growth would be straight.

Christopher
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
AW guys, if it was in one of Caudex's pots, you would be oohing and ahhing. That is one strange cactus. I don't want to like it because of its defects, but I love for its defects also. It looks like Brancusi drew a cactus.
notsoGreenThumb123
Original Author
10 years ago
@wiley1983: I agree, it is... interesting. Like wantonamara said, it's like a Brancusi-grown cactus!

@kaktuskris: So the diameter is greatest about 9" up, but it sticks pretty far out from the pot. So should I cut it lower? And how do I "promote new growth from side branches"?

Thanks, again.
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
I think the odd beauty is about the sinuous curves and the proportional odd balance. With more growth , this will be undone. This beauty is transitional.