Hello arid gardener,
In my N. central Phoenix home's backyard cactus garden is a cactus that resembles an organ pipe, with multiple 7-8 ft. long, thin arms curving upward from a central base. I'm uncertain if it is an actual organ pipe or if it is a similar species. I purchased this cactus when it was very small a few years ago at one of the semi-annual Desert Botanical Garden plant sales.
About 1/3 of this plant's arms have turned blackish- gray and withered, apparently dead. I don't know if a winter freeze got to it or if these plants normally lose arms. The rest of the plant looks healthy. There are several new very small arms sprouting from the center of the base that are a few inches long.
I would like to remove the dead arms as they are unsightly. Can they be cut or broken off? Would that harm the plant? Or should it just be left alone as it would be in nature?
Thank you for any information you can provide.
Douglas Smith
Phoenix, AZ
Hi Doug!
It sounds like you might have gotten some frost damage - is the dead mostly
at the tips of the arms?
Yes, you can prune away the dead tissue. Make sure you use a sharp saw and
make a clean cut, and you might want to wash the blade with rubbing alcohol
between cuts so as not to spread any bacterial agents that may be residing
there (if the damage was not done from frost). It's hard to say what the
cause is without seeing the problem!
The fact that you have new growth starting at the base is a very good sign,
and all should be well.
Michelle Anderson
Maricopa Master Gardener
> Hello arid gardener,
>
> In my N. central Phoenix home's backyard cactus garden is a cactus that
> resembles an organ pipe, with multiple 7-8 ft. long, thin arms curving
> upward from a central base. I'm uncertain if it is an actual organ pipe or
> if it is a similar species. I purchased this cactus when it was very small
> a few years ago at one of the semi-annual Desert Botanical Garden plant
> sales.
>
> About 1/3 of this plant's arms have turned blackish- gray and withered,
> apparently dead. I don't know if a winter freeze got to it or if these
> plants normally lose arms. The rest of the plant looks healthy. There
> are several new very small arms sprouting from the center of the base that
> are a few inches long.
>
> I would like to remove the dead arms as they are unsightly. Can they be
> cut or broken off? Would that harm the plant? Or should it just be left
> alone as it would be in nature?
>
> Thank you for any information you can provide.
>
> Douglas Smith
> Phoenix, AZ
>
> _______________________________________________
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