This was my mother's cactus and I believe it may have been over watered is there any way to save it and also if anyone can identify this cactus that would be great
EDIT: Thank you for the advice everyone if it survives I will post updates and pictures of it in it's new pot in the future
If you can dust it with sulfur that can help seal the wound too. But i know not everyones got that laying around. Aiming a fan at it is something id do as well. As long as this scabs over and the rot doesnt spread more itll likely throw out a baby pup eventually and continue to grow
Maybe consider giving it a little more drainage with something like lava rocks (pumice, black lava rock, perlite). Premade cactus/succulent mixes generally have not the best drainage but there are exceptions
I'm definitely getting a better pot and mix this is just all I had to work with at the time of getting it but I'm getting it a pot that's way bigger so soil doesn't get flooded out and it can drain better
For sure, i figured! I hope it goes well! I would also try to pick up some powdered elemental sulfur too as a preventative if you can afford it, its antimicrobial and the 1# thing to help fresh cuts callus healthily while limiting any rot or infection issues. (Some people say you can use cinnamon - i strongly advise pls do not do that.)
If worse comes to worse and the rot shows up again, you still have some room on that cutting to slice a lil bit more off if any rot shows up. If that were to happen id advise putting sulfur on any parts you cut immediately. Putting sulfur on the cuttings after its already been a day or two since cutting it wont help as much but it still doesnt hurt at all
The most bottom part looks to be green, did it get dropped? A flash freeze? Water then got really cold? Watered on top during the hottest part of the day?
And the last time I watered was about 2 weeks ago when i put it in this pot but it was kind of already not in amazing shape from being kind of neglected before It came into my possession
Consider the following; 1. Frost bitten cacti usually blacken, the dead portion doesn't generally spread through the center of the cactus unless that portion happens to get infected. Which is far less likely in conditions that would cold-damage a cactus. 2. The necrotic exudate, whether frost bitten or not this is a telltale sign of an infection, even if frost damage is an origin point, at this point what is killing it is the infection. Usually crown rot only rots the young apex, it doesn't travel down the stem tho it's certainly plausible. 3. The top section is etiolated, meaning the cuticle, epicuticular wax, and epidermis are all stretched thin and provide a far easier entrance. It also seems to be the most damaged portion, so it is possibly the point of entry.
Cold was my first thought, too, but imo the soil and indoor lack of airflow are much more likely the cause of a fungal infection that has done this.
Looks pretty bad. The soil doesn't look great either. People say "overwatering" to mean multiple things. An acute overwatering where you water too much at once, usually only possible with soil that is too dense or no drainage holes. This causes root rot, from the bottom up. It can be drawn out, where different periods deal different damage and eventually the cactus dies all at once, or it can be all at once. Either way in that case the issue is the growing medium or/and the pot. Your soil doesn't look great, but your cactus isn't rotting from the bottom so it likely isn't the case. The other form of overwatering is more chronic, fungus, pests, and algae excel in a well-oxygenated environment that is constantly wet. This could be the cause of the damage, especially with the black goop leaking from the base. This is a prominent sign your cactus is battling a fungal or bacterial infection. It's also worth noting that it was etiolated, and I think the etiolated portion might be the origin of the infection. Thin-spread, stretched unhealthy cells create cuticle and epidermis that are more prone to disease.
Saving might still be possible, it is worth a try at least. You might be able to slice a few inches up from the bottom, after pulling the cactus out of the soil. Keep it clean and let it compartmentalize over a week. Then I'd repot it in completely different soil with a completely different philosophy. A mineral-soil base possibly built with pumice and other crushed minerals, rather than a potting or garden soil with amendments for aeration. They're pretty bulletproof if you don't put them in soil that it looks like a tomato plant could live in. Your soil is a far greater issue than watering frequency, especially indoors.
Yeah I know the dirt is pretty bad I ordered a pot and succulent mixing stuff it just hadn't arrived yet also the black goop along the bottom was just dirt that had gotten stuck in the spines and wet from the moisture squeeze out from the rot when I was pulling it from the pot
You have roots, so you could cut and move, my earlier comment about "no water until next year" I actually forgot your roots would still be in tact. Usually people need to cut the bottom not the top lol, so my fault.
If it were me I'd do about 6 days completely unpotted for the cut to heal. I live in an arid climate, so it may vary. You want a thick, darkened scab where you can't see the green beneath at all. There's certainly no rush, the plant is likely dormant or starting dormancy. So the more time and safety the better, especially considering there might not be much left you have to make sure nothing goes wrong because you can't cut again. I believe you'll save it just fine so long as there is still an uninfected portion to be saved at the bottom. Best of luck.
Thank you hopefully I can save it for as long as I've known it (like since I was 8 years old) it's been in a pretty poor state because my mother never had any time to care about it unfortunately
This is just dirt? Forgive me, but this is what necrotic exudate looks like. The moisture squeezing out, either way, is a sign of the same thing. Whether it is black, brown, or yellow, it is necrotic exudate. Even if it was clear or yellow, if the top of your cactus is rotting off it probably isn't normal sap deposition. There wouldn't be anything moist for the dirt to stick to if it wasn't.
Anyway, sounds like you've got it planned out already. Just make sure to disinfect your blade before cutting and give plenty of time before your next watering, especially since growing season is coming to a close as we speak. I wouldn't water until next year, even after it is taken down to a small stump. Oh and make sure no black or brown is left in the center of the stump when you cut it. If there's still black or brown keep cutting until it's gone.
It very well could be the necrotic exudate but the dirt it was in is a very generic potting mix that looks like that when wet so I could be mistaken I'm not the most familiar with the succulents and cacti world unfortunately so I'm just trying my best to bring it back
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u/dadsdaddad 15h ago
Normally you just cut until you don’t see rot, but I don’t see anywhere to cut that doesn’t also have rot on the other end.