Hi!

Today I examined the roots of my new plants. After looking at my Echinopsis subdenudata, I found a black spot where an areole should be, and the yellow, kind of baggy base of the cactus. This yellow part is not as firm as the rest of the cactus, but not mush, either. I have put a picture below.

Is this a sign of rot? Or is it just an areole below the dirt line?

First, I am no expret and not into cactus plants. I do have some blue cactus that has blemmisses all about their bases. Seems no big deal except looks. It may just heal itself and leave a scare.
Stush
Also welcome. Almost forgot.

Thank you! I'm planning to pot it back up tomorrow if all is good.

It may just need to dry out a bit more. Try to add more pumice or lava rock or fine gravel at the very base.

Is is doing OK?

The yellow part if it is not mushy, it is just the cacti corking, a natural part of its life as it starts to show aging.

On the other hand, sometimes premature corking happens as well when the plant is too underwatered.

It seems to be doing well!

I removed more of the caked-up soil blend around the base and let dry completely. The yellow part (I'm pretty sure it's corking) got a little firmer when dried out, so I let the plant dry for a few days and then re-potted into dry soil. He seems to be doing ok- because it's the growing season I've watered him lightly (just enough to moisten the roots) about once a week. In another week or so I'll water deeply. Just want to make sure his roots have time to heal after I stripped them to prevent rot.

Update:

The plant is still doing well! He even put out a couple bloom stalks. These grew nice and strong for a couple days, but then wend limp and fell off. Guess he's not ready to flower yet, but hopefully the bloom stalks mean he's healthy.

I think he may not be fully blooming because my apartment is too cold. One of my roommate likes to keep the apartment at 64 F (too cold!!) while the rest of us aren't in. After a little research, I found that E. subdenudata only really flowers when temperatures are consistently above 70. I'm hoping these wilting stalks are a result of temperature, and not some other problem.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Some of my cacti starts blooming at 75F, while some ofmy other succulents bloom better at 85F and higher. The blooms really love the sun to keep them open. Once it gets shaded it closes down, and will try again the following day.

Thank you so much for your response!

I'm hoping when I head home after the end of the semester and I can put this guy out on my porch he's bloom like crazy. He doesn't seem shy about it!

There are some that just keeps the close/open show of their blooms for about a week or two, in my area the usually do it in Spring..and there are some that makes buds and blooms on and off all summer long..like my rebutia muscula..it just keeps going and going...