Looking for some help identifying my cactus, as seen in attached picture and details below. I can't seen to decide from online identification websites -- "Barrel" I got it in March '06 @ ~4in [10cm] tall although it has growth spurts Currently = ~ 12.5in [31.8cm] tall Widest width (towards bottom) = ~3in [7.6cm] with spines Average width = 1.5 - 2in [3.8-5.1cm] -- Spines Pattern = spiral going up barrel Color style = Base has Light Brown/Rose with some black tips, getting lighter quickly as you go up the base to white Style = No barb groups, stiff at base quickly getting soft and flexible
One thing I can tell you is that it needs a brighter position, that skinny elongated growth is what they make when there is not enough sun exposure.
As said the plant is etioliated, which makes identification more difficult. It looks as something that should have a globose-cylindrical shape. I guess it is a Mammillaria, but a closeup would be useful. Has it flowered?
Thanks for the responses so far and sorry for my slow update. Here are a few more pictures. One is looking down from the top, one is a sideways zoom at the top, one a sideways zoom at the bottom, and it's current place in life in it's pot. When I got it it had a "globose-cylindrical shape" that you can still kind of see in the zoom at the bottom. But once I took it out of the windowless room my friend had it in and moved it to my 'window box' and started watering it on a "more often in spring/summer and less in winter" schedule it started shooting up into the elongated shape. Some growth spurts happening right after a winter watering. I have never seen it flower, and I'm not sure but I don't think my friend said it had .... probably? I can always try to get a hold of her to ask, but no flowers since '06 at least. The window box you see it in is a southern exposure with shades so it gets mostly indirect but some direct light all year long. I closed the shades tightly in these pictures just to help with photography. Now I'm wondering if the pot needs to be propped up so the level of the soil is equal to the bottom level of the window pane, or if that will be enough. I know the pot is large but would/could that be hurting it as well? Between my office and my apartment increased direct lighting options are slim, plus I live in Denver, Colorado so from Labor Day to Memorial day there are dangers of random freeze/snow days/nights so I feel like it should live inside for that part of the year to be safe, although I may be wrong p.s. I'm sorry for my random lack of knowledge, when I found this forum I realized that I have my fields of knowledge but you were probably THE source of knowledge that could help my with my cactus buddy. Oh, and for my bouncing topics, I'm trying to get it into some semblance of order but ...
How long time did it spend in that windowless room? It happens easily if watered in winter and the temperature is high enough. I keep mine completely dry from (approximately) late September to May. I also try to keep the temperature low, approximately 10 +/- 5 °C, it reduces the risk for etiolated growth considerably. To place the pot on top of something so that the plant gets more light? Yes, that would be a step in the right direction. And yes, a too big pot is a risk, the soil takes too long time to dry out which increases the risk for rot. Many Mammillaria tolerate some frost if they are dry, but cold + wet conditions almost automatically kills them. I am not familiar with the climate in Denver, but it does not sound ideal ...
At least a year or so, I'm not sure where it was before it came to the office. I tended to water twice a month or so in Nov-Mar, and it's by the window which lets the cold in really well. But I'll try to be more aware of the window area warming due to sunlight, an increase it's 'winter' watering I have it in 'cactus soil' at least that's what the bag says, it's supposed to drain quickly. I also only water around the cactus. But I can transplant into a smaller container, I just need to know about how big should I go for. Either way I shall go in search of something to place it on to get more sunlight Sorry, completely spaced the need for more temperature information. [and here I'm assuming metric is much more useful for you] Winter has an average low of -5C and high of 10.5C, although it can easily get below -18C very quickly. Plus snow storm can blow in very quickly and it's hard to estimate how much we'll get. So yeah, I'm guessing my poor little cactus needs to winter inside. With perhaps some 'sunbathing' during good days when I can bring it inside quickly. Although perhaps summers outside might help. Summer has an average low of 10C and an average high of 25C, although recent summers seem to have an average high of 32C or so. My only worry would then be the sporadic rain storms we get, I'm not sure how much rain it would be able to take over the course of an hour
Increase? (I'm not sure if I understood that right) It would need less water in winter. A cactus normally hibernates in dry conditions, water causes it to wake up and start to grow, and that does not work in winter except in a very warm, sunny environment. A brief warming during the day is not a big problem as long as the temperature goes down at night. Hehe, few soils labeled "cactus soil" are suitable for cacti. Well, your plant has survived so far. If I should repot that plant I would use a pot about 2–3 cm wider than the root ball.
*Increase "winter watering" Some of the words in my brain didn't meet the keyboard. I was trying to say that I will change the winter hibernation watering schedule from the current Nov-Mar to a Sep-May timeline Yeah, I kinda figured soil labels would be iffy, but it was the lesser of evils at the time and it drained well. Maybe if I go to re-pot I'll go visit the good gardening store I know of, get some help with getting the right soil. * Winters outside As far as winter's go here; I'm sticking with keeping it inside during all of it's winter hibernation cycle. Plus I won't feel bad pulling it away from the window if temperatures drop now that I know it will be fine with very little sunlight Should I consider doing a cutting then? I worry about making it even more lopsided. But I want to give it a better quality of life. Noted, my cactus will sunburn as easily as I do. I luck out here, it doesn't really stay cloudy all day for too many days in a row during the summer. Humidity wise we're technically a desert with an average day time humidity level in the 'summer' of 69% and a night time of 35%. My poor cactus, it's a tough little solider even though I have unknowingly gave it a hard time. I only wish I had found the knowledge here first. All I had thought before was light, soil that drains well, and not too much water.
Note: The actual length of the hibernation period varies from place to place, it is shorter in warm climates. Some growers start watering when they see new growth in spring. It would be preferable, but it is not easy. The cut surface will be relatively large, and such wounds are easily attacked by mould, even when it has healed for several months. Rooting takes time, from weeks to years (I guess yours will root within a few months). Varies from species to species, some become sunburnt in less than 30 minutes, others are not sensitive at all.
