I don't know what type it is but I've had it for 36+ years. It was the size of my pinky finger when my grandmother bought it for me when I was around 10 years old. (Is there a way to attach photos to this post?) It flowered for the first time two years ago... buds & then flowers on the top of each 'stalk' (for lack of proper term.) It was thriving and healthy and beginning to bud for the 2nd time in it's entire life when I brought it to a friend-turned-master-gardener (official "Master Gardener) to care for while we relocated because I didn't trust the movers to take proper care of it. Seven weeks later I went to pick it up to find it still wrapped in the box used to surround & protect it during transport!!! I questioned this & was told it had NOT been left covered the entire time. I was concerned but left the box intact since I had to transport it for a long drive home. Upon arrival I removed the box and found the cactus to be in very, very poor condition. "Stalks" that once stood tall and firm leaned badly & several broke from their own weight. The "needles" aren't nearly as sharp as they were and the color is extremely poor. There are also sick or diseased-looking areas on several of the stalks. I promptly purchased a larger pot and cactus soil and proceeded to transplant it as gently as I could. That was about three weeks ago. Since then it has shown virtually no sign of health improvement and I do not know what to do. This was the very last gift my grandmother had purchased for me before she passed away and I remember the day clearly ~ I had picked it out amongst a huge assortment of tiny cactus plants ~ and is very, very dear to me. Does anyone know what I can do to improve its health? Thus far everyone I've asked is unfamiliar with the care and maintenance of healthy cactus let alone sickly ones.. I would be happy to forward photos displaying it in its healthy and unhealthy states. Thank you very much. Anngellica anngellica@sbcglobal.net
Maybe a more specialized forum like CactiGuide would be a better place for your question. However, there are a few things in your description that you should improve on as they made me hesitate to answer. I find it difficult to imagine what your cactus looks like today, some photos would help a lot. > The "needles" aren't nearly as sharp as they were I have never seen the spines become blunt in response to a disease. Transport damage? > the color is extremely poor. What is a "poor" color? > sick or diseased-looking areas This is not very clear either. Are the areas soft or hard? Color? Near the base or top or just everywhere? > leaned badly & several broke from their own weight. Can you see anything abnormal close to the base? Are the stems rotting from below perhaps?
