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bethanielyall

Need help! Identification and care

9 years ago

Hi! So this is my first post. I apologize ahead of time if it is too long :) I have recently acquired three cacti. It's funny, because I have admired these cacti from a neighbour for about 5 years, and last week they were listed on kijiji. So I scooped them up! This wonderful older gentleman has had each of them for 25 years, and it was getting too hard for him to bring them out doors in the spring and back inside in the fall. I live just outside of Toronto, Ontario. I'm trying to identify them so that I can care for them properly. They are so large and so beautiful. I am terrified of not taking care of them properly. Any advice, identification, tips and tricks would be so greatly appreciated. (I've included a close up of one of them for detail)

Thank you so much!



Comments (7)

  • 9 years ago

    I think it's

    Trichocereus panachoi

    Monstrose Cereus peruvianus

    Euphorbia ingens (non-cactus succulent plant from Africa)


  • 9 years ago

    Oh wow! thank you so much! The pictures I see online seem to match perfectly. Would you happen to have experience with these types of cacti/succulents?

  • 9 years ago

    I only have panachoi of those 3. I keep it in full sun all summer (in Montreal). It likes quite a bit of water during the grow season. Then in the fall I move them into the basement and don't water them until I move them out again sometime in May the next year. They sit in the darkness during that time.

    I imagine it would work about the same for your monstrose cactus.

    For the ingens, you probably can't do that. Best bet is a sunny window and watering it semi regularly over the winter. They don't go _as_ dormant as cacti.


    Always slowly introduce them to the outdoors when they come outside in the spring.

    Did you ask the previous owner what they did? They all look pretty good. Though I bet they could be repotted if you were willing.

  • 9 years ago

    So the three of them are on my porch, and they get sun in the morning, and partial/indirect sun throughout the day. The man that I got them from had a lot of cactus/succulents, but in small pots throughout his back yard. these were his only large ones. He said that they could use repotting, and told me to do a mix of soil and coarse sand so that the roots don't get muddied up. During the winter months, he would just bring them into his living room, dining room and kitchen. They were kept near windows for light. He said that he has never overwintered them. He also showed me a few spots where they were burnt/scorched from the direct sun they were in when he brought them back outside this year. The panachoi was a bit yellow and soft in some spots, but since it has been on my porch for about a week, it has stiffened up in those spots. I can only assume that is a good thing. How often and how much would you suggest watering? I really want to repot all of them, but I am worried about damaging them in the process, especially if I introduce something that they aren't used to. I also don't want to get a pot that is too big, because they are heavy as it is. What do you use for soil? and do I just place them directly in a new pot and fill it with the new mixture? or try to shake off existing soil? Thank you so much for all of your help.

  • 9 years ago

    Last Euphorbia not on ingens but care would likely be similar. Need a closer shot of the plant to get a better idea what it actually is.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    bethanie

    I wonder about existing soil - seems like your neighbour had right idea about using coarse sand. It should be coarse (if using sand), usually sold as Horticultural sand. You could go step further by using grit. I buy chicken grit from farm supply store north of TO, it is just about $10/50 lb bag. Wait for what others say...

  • 9 years ago

    Hi Rina,

    Thats great, thank you! I will look into chicken grit. Lots of farms and supply stores near me.


    Palmbob,

    Here is a close up of the last one. One is of the trunk, which feels like wood.