My partner and I found a cactus (dismembered from its host plant) on a sidewalk in NC on a trip; brought it home did the whole propagation situation and then planted it when a cactus Reddit thread suggested it was ok. Now we have this weird thing growing straight up out of the top… what is it? Is it healthy? It sits in a very well lit room with warmth and higher humidity. It’s planted in a conch shell we also found in NC, not sure if it has everything it needs – we can replant if need be… but it’s growing (?) but we’re just wondering what’s going on here
by Vegetable_Office_277
6 Comments
Looks like some form of *Opuntia*.
Those needs tons of light. A window or well lit room isn’t near enough.
If I am correct, the part growing out of the top is an *etiolated* pad…meaning it’s not getting enough light.
needs more sun
Horribly etiolated
It is incredibly difficult to grow opuntia indoors in a healthy manner. They require a lot of sunlight to keep from stretching like this (remember that their native habitat is, for the most part, deserts, getting blasted by full sun all day).
In addition they need pretty gritty, non-organic soil with excellent drainage. Unless the shell has holes in the bottom it’s likely the soil in there is staying too damp. Prickly pears, like most succulents, are pretty susceptible to root rot, so something to keep in mind!
https://preview.redd.it/0xdh77656fud1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f22a69072008e0fadf443b8d88ec5287f2d7266e
S.O.S.