We Get Questions

Q: I just read your website and I wondered if you could answer a question for me?? I have a beautiful cactus—its on the smaller side –it is Green at the bottom (stalk) and it has a nice red sort of ball on top that has sprouted two more little ones. My problem is that is was accidentally knocked over and it has come away from its roots. Do I need to throw it away or can it be saved?? I tried to replant it but it keeps falling over as it has nothing to keep it in the pot. I appreciate any help you can give me. I have had this plant for over a year and a half and I hate to toss it.

Barbara

A: Hello,

You can repot your cactus and use bamboo skewers or chopsticks to hold it upright while it re-roots. It sounds like your plant is a grafted cactus with a mutant Gymnocalycium as the red ball on top. The bottom green part is most likely a Hylocereus. The mutant red one is grafted on to the green stock since the weird color means there is no chlorophyll to feed the red plant.

Try propping it up for a month or two and let the roots re-grow and then it should be able to stand up on its own.

Good luck,

Hap