I've had this cactus a long time, didn't quite realize that it was as long ago as 97 until I looked up when the eiffel tower was built in Vegas. I went to Vegas with my sister and her family and one of the places that we visited was Ethel M candy, and I picked up a small pot with various cacti in it (which all promptly died with the exception of this one). I feel bad that during the entire time of growing plants I have never given this one much love. Finally this year I decided to repot it from it's original pot (shameful , I know) which was 6" x 2 1/4" pot because it had started leaning and I thought maybe the roots needed some depth. Anyways I tried to look it up, but it seems different than any other one I've seen . I was thinking Prickly Pear, but they seem to be wider. Just to give any other info that may be pertinent, I live in WA in an apartment so it's only gotten north facing light for at least the last 16 years and I do put it outside during the summer when the temps get to be in the 70's. The deck doesn't usually get more than 20 minutes of direct sunlight though, so perhaps it's skinny because it's lacking full sunlight.

Any help with an certain ID or other suggestions would be appreciated, as most of my plant experience are foliage types... dracenas, snake plants, lipstick and for some reason the other cactus/succulents i've had didn't fair so well (jade & xmas cactus).

Cheers

Can you share a photo?

to the forum!

I did, but I guess I messed up. Here's one. I should mention that the spines are thin and almost hair-like, but also stiff.

Looks like it could be this plant

Joseph's Coat (Opuntia monacanthos 'Variegata')

or the non-variegated version, I can't tell from the photo. I am kind of shocked and amazed (in a good way) the plant has survived for so long given the low light you have described. This plant is a little weird growing for a prickly pear, and the low light probably causes the stems to stretch more than they otherwise would.

My usual advice for this kind of cactus would be to provide as much light as possible, but I guess without being able to provide hours of daily sunlight, just keep doing what you have done thus far, because it seems to be working. You should notice a dramatic reawakening with the new pot, at least in terms of how fast new growth is generated.

"Looks like it could be this plant
Joseph's Coat (Opuntia monacanthos 'Variegata')"

Wow, I do believe you are right! Thank you so much ! When looking up Cacti, that particular plant never came up, but once I looked up the name, I see lots about it. Honestly I've been surprised it's lasted so long as well considering I drop a dollop of water in it when it's dry and have left it in that shallow pot forever without doing anything else besides putting it outside on the deck with the dr acaenas. I have seen it turn a little pink sometimes, but thought that perhaps it was getting sunburned and brought it back inside. Hopefully it likes the new cactus soil, although I added a bunch of pumice to what was in the bag because the 'cactus' soil seemed to look/feel way too much like regular plant soil for my tastes.

Question about all the little shoots it puts out every year: should I pinch some of them off, so the plant can concentrate on just some of them? Or should I just leave them alone and just pinch them after they shrivel up?

I guess that is a judgment call... many right answers. Maybe prune where that gives you improved stability (so basically any stem that is starting to go sideways, or is weighing down another stem). The plant may produce a lot of nubby branches that don't seem to go anywhere, and all those are fair game too.