Post a reply

Avatar for Helen2007
Apr 23, 2018 6:26 PM CST
Thread OP
Lowell, MA
My cactus' leaves are being eaten by something! How do I save them?

Thumb of 2018-04-24/Helen2007/fa5f51
Image
Apr 23, 2018 9:10 PM CST
Name: Kyle
Middle TN (Zone 7a)
Region: Tennessee Plant and/or Seed Trader Cat Lover Dog Lover Roses Ferns
Hostas Foliage Fan Bromeliad Heucheras Native Plants and Wildflowers Birds
They don't look eaten to me. Just broken. It looks fine to me. Does it get enough light?
It is more properly called a 'succulent'. Not a cactus at all.
Image
Apr 23, 2018 9:41 PM CST
Name: Baja
Baja California (Zone 11b)
Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter Xeriscape Container Gardener Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Garden Photography Region: Mexico Plant Identifier Forum moderator Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Level 2
They look broken to me too, but it's puzzling why there are so many different leaves damaged the same way (6 notches visible). Is the damage ongoing? With soft leaved plants like Echeveria you sometimes see breakage or damage along the lines of the pot, like when growers cram too many plants into a limited space and leaves get broken or sheared where they pass over the edges of the pot. But the damage here does not seem to line up with anything like that, except maybe the previous (smaller) pot. It's almost like there are cat claws in the picture. Smiling

The birds and rodents here like to snack on a couple of Echeverias (mostly for their water content I would imagine) and the bites are always highly irregular, usually compound. The damage I see would be at the leaf tips or sometimes the growth point, not in between. But there's a great infinity of herbivores on the planet, so maybe you've got something else entirely going on.

That is a nice looking Echeveria, Helen.

Welcome!
Last edited by Baja_Costero Apr 23, 2018 9:44 PM Icon for preview
Avatar for Helen2007
Apr 24, 2018 1:51 PM CST
Thread OP
Lowell, MA
Thanks so much guys! I was afraid it was dying. I haven't had plants in a few years but my friend got me this one and I've grown fond of it.
Only the members of the Members group may reply to this thread.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by RootedInDirt and is called "Red Blown Glass"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.