Gymnocalycium mihanovichii friedrichii 'Hibotan'

...that is the grafted - top plant. Bottom - rootstock - could be one of few that are commonly used. Can't tell which ones, they look quite similar. Could be Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit plant), but maybe some other.

I hope the OP doesn't mind my question: How long can these actually live? Years? When they fail, does just the top cactus fail and then the whole thing rots on down? I've never had one but have wondered about them.

They last for few years - I do not know if there is any 'standard' length of time (I am referring to these without chlorophyll). There was a post on this forum by one of the members that actually grew the separated top for some time - can't remember thread, and do not know what eventually happened to it.

Sometimes, even before the grafted plant start declining, the rootstock may start growing. Rootstock plants are used because they are vigorous growers, so it may 'outgrow' the grafted plant.

There are many other cacti that are grafted, IIRC usually very slow growing types.

Thank you all so much for the response.. I am a new gardener, so i am not sure what kind of soil is actually used.. i bought it as it is, and yes there is a drainage hole. I will find out the soil mix and respond back

Sorry to digress slightly, but something has only just occurred to me after seeing and reading yet another moon cactus post here.....

Knowing this top cactus needs the bottom one to survive, how do the nurseries obtain these vivid pink/orange/yellow scions in the first place? I realise they do produce pups for removal and further grafting, but I'm talking about how they came about in the first place, were they sports that were grafted? The original gymnos must have originated from somewhere, they couldn't have been discovered randomly growing atop a green rootstock! How did they survive if they can't photosynthesise?

Gill

Gymnocalycium mihanovichii is the original plant; there are many species. These yellow-pink-orange are mutants (?); colorful heads will still have offsets that are used to propagate. I tried to find out 'where they come from' before, and there isn't a definite answer. I found one theory that is considered more accurate - I'll look for the article and post. Apparently, someone in Japan (?) started growing them, grafted, and continue selective breeding (?) to obtain more of clear colors...

ETA: I found one of the articles: click me

(I wonder if it would work to graft an albino offshoot of other plants on a rootstock, like C.o. Tricolor for example - I have couple of them growing on main plant - or from some other succulents?)

Rina, I've been hanging around a seed/grafting group on Facebook. Indeed, they do put albinos on grafts to grow.

I have a few G. mihanovichii that are the deep dark purple, growing on their own roots. However, some of its pups are bright neon pink. I wonder if those are the ones they would put onto a graft?

Leslie

Thnx, I started wondering about those jade albinos...did not see anyone trying to graft jade. I never tried grafting, but read instructions. Too bad I got rid of dragon fruit cacti - that was a rootstock right there! :)

I am thinking that pink pups would probably keep growing on that purple gymno...But IIRC, gymno is not very fast grower - is it? So if you have few pups clear pink, maybe you should try at least one and see what happens.

Eta: I just remembered that someone here did tried grafting regular jade on a thick jade trunk - will try to find that thread

2nd eta: I found few old threads - and jade on jade grafting doesn't seem to work. Unfortunately, almost all photos are gone. No one tried albino jade on different rootstock...Leslie, if you know of anyone that did, pls. post a link...TIA.

Thanks, Rina. The group that does all the grafting is strictly into cactus - trichocereus and echinocereus, and that seems to be it. So, no clue on grafting jades.

I know everyone shuns the moon cactus, but I always seek out the dark purple ones to try to degraft and get them going on their own. So far, I have about a 75% failure rate :(

I did this recently with a purple Gymnocalycium. So far it's the only time I've tried, so 100% success :-)

here it is almost a month later...

Not to derail from the OP - but for those who have successfully de-grafted a purple one - Do you have any tips/pointers? I purchased a purple one a few weeks ago specifically so I could try this. I love the look of the purple ones, but I don't like the top heavy/wobbly look of the grafts... Looks like those who have managed to do it all say cut it off, let it callous, put it in a pot on your growing medium and wait.

pluto - see the post just about yours? Describes what you are asking about with good photos.

From my limited experience with this, I'd say to make sure you leave it long enough to really callous over, then put on top of pumice or perlite (I wouldn't add any cactus soil or turface or anything at this point), don't water it and let it sit there until it roots. Then you can pot it up in whatever mix you like for cactus (mine is in a mix of pumice, lava, chicken grit, and a small amount of turface) and water it lightly. Also, I had it in bright light, but no direct sun, until it rooted. After it rooted and I potted it up, I gradually moved it into more direct sun.

I've been trying with one for months. Cut and calloused and left on top of perlite for easily 4 months. Not a thing - no growth, but it hasn't shriveled or rotted yet, so I'm still holding out hope. A few others did indeed root and seem to be thriving.

I remember taking a hardwood cuttings workshop years ago at the Arnold Arboretum. One of things they said was to just leave them be, that they'd eventually either grow or rot. I imagine it's true for cactus and succulents as well. Sure can try your patience sometimes! Maybe bottom heat might help? Although I see you're in Florida, so no doubt it's plenty hot :-)