Hi! My cactus is drooping like crazy! I'm really nervous it is dying. It looks super healthy it is just sagging. There are tons of new shutes and growths but three major "branches" look like they're just falling off

@Knessler. I have suggested to have your question moved to the "Cactus" forum where you will probably get better response. By the way, please take a moment and go to your "Profile". Update your public profile by giving your location. City and state is best but even your USDA zone is better than nothing.

Also, you might tell us how these cacti are being grown. The more information you can give as to its care, the better.

Hi Kaitlyn and welcome. About the only thing you can do wrong to a cactus is to overwater it. That one does look really healthy with all the new growth, but if you're worried let it dry out really well before you give it any more water. Also be sure it's getting enough light - don't forget the sun has moved up to nearly overhead at this time of year and sometimes that means it suddenly doesn't get into a window that's normally sunny.

If all else fails, you should always think about where these plants grow in nature. In the desert they go weeks and weeks, sometimes months without water. They store the water in the body of the plant. Then in the "rainy season" they can get heavy rain for days and days. As long as your pot drains as well as the gritty dirt in the desert does, your plant should be able to handle either scenario.

Your prickly pear cactus looks healthy, and is growing normally. It's actually too big to be easily grown in a small pot. You would have to be pruning off the pads to keep it small. When the heavy pads grow, they naturally will droop down like that. If you are in a zone where it could be planted outdoors in the ground, it would be much happier.

drdawg said: @Knessler. I have suggested to have your question moved to the "Cactus" forum where you will probably get better response.

Isn't this already the Cactus & Tender Succulent forum? Can you provide a link to the Cactus forum? I looked for it unsuccessfully. Thanks!

You are correct, April, your question is now on the Cactus and Tender Succulents forum. I think was originally on the Ask A Question forum.

I would agree with Karen that the plant generally requires a larger pot (though you can continue trimming it back). I had 3 of them growing on the patio for several years in 14 inch pots. They do tend to grow sideways and that is actually the reason they are not there anymore.

Because the spines on that plant are among the most hazardous in the cactus group. Technically they are not spines but glochids. Whatever, the little hairs all over the plant (which give it that great look) get stuck in your skin really easily and require quite a bit of attention to remove.

So be careful where you put your plant, especially if it starts growing sideways, because there is a bit of a potential hazard to consider.

I agree with Baja. I had one of these in the middle of a bed of other small, globular cacti. It continually needed cutting back because it tried to take over the whole bed. I finally just removed it totally and put in more small globular cacti in it's spot. They should be in an area where they can grow pretty much unattended. Those glochids are wicked!

Knessler,
Your plant actually looks happy.
You mention drooling. I do not see any water or sap leaking out.
The large pad is sagging and should be handled as mentioned by others above.
I use laytex gloves when handling cactus with short spines like these.

I have a few of these they and they are happy outside where I live they look bad and are shriveled after winter but always come back to life when spring arrives. You could remove one or two of the ears as and start another plant. Do wear heavy gloves or something that the spines will not penetrate.

Thank you so much everyone! So do you suggest I replant the bigger pads in a new pot?

You could pot up the extra pads in a larger pot, or you could try one or two outside in the ground if you have the space. They do get large quickly! You need an out of the way location. You don't want to be bumping into them, or having the dog's balls crashing in to them! I've found it's nearly impossible to clean the glochids out of a tennis ball.

Yeah, they grow super fast lol! I'm from south jersey so we don't have many succulents around here, so I picked these guys up at our lowe's. I am glad to here the plant is still healthy I was worried.

They seem extremely hardy and I think it would be hard to discourage them!

I have two copiapoas cacti's one is a Copiapoa humilis ssp. humilis 'maritima' the other is a Copiapoa barquitensis which is supposed to be globular mine is rather tall and not globular at all which make me wonder if it truly is a Copiapoa barquitensis. The copiapoas have long roots as shown in the photos on this website kadasgarden.com/Cpotting.html

I do not have a scanner or a way I can load the ones I have and wish I could because I sure wish I could find out whether the Copiapoa barquitensis truly is one or not.

Just one more thing to add to the copiapoas thread I started and that is right now both are in 4 inch round pots which are 4 inches tall and have been in them for some two years now, and I wish to transplant them into square tall 14cm pots but want to someone to help me what would be the next size equivalent to the pots I have them in now. If I have them in 4 inch round pots what would be the next sized square pots?

I know for a fact that you should put into pots that are too big.

Without pictures it is really hard to say for us. There are a variety of reasons why cacti growing out of their natural environment will show a different growth habit. For example comparing Ottawa to the ultra dry coastal and high deserts where Copiapoas naturally grow would suggest there could be temperature, light, and humidity/moisture issues.

Most cacti will start growing long and stretched when bereft of enough light - I am actually seeing that with a couple of Copiapoas that I am growing here in Mesa, Arizona - the sun is so bright here that they are not that happy so I gave them a lot of shade - too much... I will try and post a picture tomorrow as I will not be home until late tonight.

Stan,

This is your third thread of the day and this one wasn't even yours. Its hard to chase all these threads around. Maybe we can get one of the Moderators to combine all your inquiries into one.

I am attaching photos of my Copiapoa barquitensis for comparison. I have had mine for a couple years and it hasn't outgrown its original pot. I wouldn't call it a fast grower.

Blooming in May


Right now - too much sun. It will look better later this fall. I think this is a 4 inch pot that is about 2.5 to 3 inches tall.