I experimented with on of barrel cactus by cutting it horizontally. After about a month, not only didn't it dry off but it also rotted. Where did I go wrong? I thought offsets would grow where I did the cut.

Apical meristem tissue is typically located at the growth tips of branches but barrel cacti only have one growth tip so concentrate meristem cells in the tip of the barrel. By damaging (not destroying) that tip, the cactus will hopefully respond by activating nearby meristem tissue and growing all sorts of new tips. But no guarantee - he (Baja) could just as easily end up with a pile of mush.

The plant succumbed to either infection from the wound, or was infected prior and was allready weakened.
If done correctly on a healthy plant, most would grow out a new head. This would apply for cereus, neoraimondia, echinopsis, pilosocereus and cleistocactus. Basically profuse branching is almost a required trait. Exception would be stetsonia coryne, and argentine saguaro echinopsis and probably oreocereus in your case.

It does not look like any barrel cactus that I recognize - and if Stefan is correct in his assessment that it was an oreocereus that would afaik not fall under the traditional meaning of what defines a barrel cactus.

I agree with Daisy if it was a true barrel cactus it would not regrow anything from a cut like that - the base would not get a new growth point nor would the cut off top develop roots. I guess that particular plant did not do so as either.

I agree with Stefan that most 'columnar' branching cacti that he lists will just grow new 'branches' from cuts like that. Add Stenocereus to that and some but not all Pachycereus to that as well. I do not understand why Stetsonia coryne is listed as not capable of doing this. My neighbor's plant would appear to do that just fine... pretty sure the ones in the Desert Botanical garden do grow new branches from being cut like that as well, but maybe I am missing something.

Thanks! I don't even know what kind of cactus was it. Was on the bargain bin in Lowe's as they were clearing out they succulents.

mcvansoest said:It does not look like any barrel cactus that I recognize - and if Stefan is correct in his assessment that it was an oreocereus that would afaik not fall under the traditional meaning of what defines a barrel cactus.

I agree with Daisy if it was a true barrel cactus it would not regrow anything from a cut like that - the base would not get a new growth point nor would the cut off top develop roots. I guess that particular plant did not do so as either.

I agree with Stefan that most 'columnar' branching cacti that he lists will just grow new 'branches' from cuts like that. Add Stenocereus to that and some but not all Pachycereus to that as well. I do not understand why Stetsonia coryne is listed as not capable of doing this. My neighbor's plant would appear to do that just fine... pretty sure the ones in the Desert Botanical garden do grow new branches from being cut like that as well, but maybe I am missing something.

Stetsonia as a seedling simply doesnt do it. Thats all I can tell you. At least out of 3 attempts.

Sometimes remedial measures are just too late...take it as a learning curve and get a new one.

skopjecollection said:

Stetsonia as a seedling simply doesnt do it. Thats all I can tell you. At least out of 3 attempts.

I suspect doing this kind of beheading to seedling level plants is generally a recipe for failure. As mature 20+ foot tall plants they sprout new arms from cuts just fine. Seeing my neighbor's behemoth (it almost makes the Saguaro next to it look small) makes me regret leaving the 5 foot specimen behind at my old place, but having dug up and transplanted one of these before at great cost in blood I decided that I could always grow it again, but starting from a 1 foot plant iso something much larger tends to make a huge difference.

I have only been successful with cacti cuttings taken by twisting them of, allowed to dry the bottom area and it grows the new arm later. But for the rounder ones, unless it grows a new baby at the base..then it will have to be a patient game of tolerance not to do any cut and let it heal itself. If internal damage is too widespread already, just have to let go...start anew with a new plant.

These are twisted off cuttings that grew new arms:




sorry..a nasty grasshopper took a bite on the new growth

This one I just have to wait it out..it thankfully still manages to heal itself..no new growth but it is still okay.




This one I almost lost..thankfully one new baby grew and matured now..so life goes on. I have not removed the old mother plant that has now shrunken. It was a good lesson for me to leave it alone..and just water as needed, provide enough light to let the new growth be the recovery cacti.