Identification: What is the name of this fast growing cactus?

I have wood heat in my house so in the winter time some of my plants dont like it too much. I decided to get a few cactus plants of different varieties. One in particular just loves it in the location I put it in. The new growth you see in the picture I have posted is just within the last 3 to 4 weeks. I would like to know more about this variety of cactus. What is it? Does it flower? etc

Thank You Kindly In Advance For Any Help :-)

 

Austrocylindropuntia subulata (sometimes Opuntia subulata)?

Not to ruin your day or anything, but part of the reason it's growing so fast is because it's slightly etiolated (stretching due to insufficient light). It's not the worst thing in the world, but if you can find a way to provide more light, you should try: etiolated growth is weaker.

The flowers, according to Google, are small and red/coral; I expect they're rare/nonexistent on indoor-grown plants.

 

cactus thrive on heat and very little water; in Canada it is difficult to supply the heat but you can withhold water during winter.

 

actually this photo was taken in the evening this plant has tons of light

 

I wasn't guessing the light amount based on how bright the photo is; I was guessing based on how the stem is thinner, the areoles are further apart, and the color is lighter on the new growth, compared to the old growth. This is pretty much the textbook description of etiolation, and etiolation indicates that the plant wants more light than it's getting. Whatever amount that is.

 

Mrsubjunctive is correct - etiolated growth, the kind seen on your sample, is a result of the plant not getting enough light.

 

mrsubjunctive wrote

Would it be possible to use grow lights to lengthen the day indoors, as our days get shorter, or is more sunlight the only answer?

 

Extra hours of illumination may help but being closer to a window
would be best if at all possible. I worry that that decorative container
may not have drainage holes ultimately leading to root rot.

 

No, grow lights are totally an option. I've had mixed experiences using regular 4-foot shop lights with cool white bulbs on succulents -- some plants seem perfectly content with that, and others still seem to want more light (or possibly redder light; there's this whole big thing with plants using both blue and red wavelengths of light that I don't really want to get into right now). I don't know which group Australocylindropuntia would fall into, since I don't grow it personally, but artificially supplementing can't hurt anything. More intense light (adding more light sources, increasing the wattage and efficiency of the light sources already present) and longer duration of light (having the lights on timers to extend the length of the "day") would both help. (EDIT: but use either LEDs or fluorescents; incandescent bulbs give off too much heat to be useful. Either they're too far away to add significant light, or they're close enough to burn the plant.)

Since the plant is genetically expecting to see about 12 hours of light (it's from Peru, which means it normally lives between the equator and 15°S), coming from all directions (instead of only from the side, as is the case next to a window), at direct-sun intensity (instead of being filtered through clouds, trees, window screens, glass, etc.), it may not be possible to reproduce this exactly, especially not in Canada at 49°N, especially not indoors, but it should be possible to provide enough light to stop or minimize etiolation.

I should maybe add that if LadySparky is happy with the look of the plant as it is, adding additional light isn't exactly necessary. I mean, an etiolated plant is likely to be weaker, and more susceptible to damage from cold or insects or whatever, and I think that the plant would look better if it were less etiolated, but the plant doesn't have to please me, because I'm not the one taking care of it; it has to please LadySparky. If it's doing that, which it sounds like it is, then my opinion on how it looks is irrelevant. I mentioned etiolation more because I think it's likely to displease LadySparky later on, if permitted to continue growing as it has been, even if she's pleased with how quickly it's growing now.

 

Hi everyone,

I know it has been a long long while since this thread was active but it's astonding how difficult it's been for me to find advice on my plant! This photo is the exact same as the one I am growing so here's hoping someone can help! :)

My plant is now 3 years old and one foot tall (so proud for being my first cactus!) I live in Scotland, UK so sadly I can't keep my plants outdoors. This week we've had some wonderfully hot weather so I've treated the cactus to short periods of sunshine outdoors. Last night when I came home from work 3 of the 15-20 branches have collapsed :(

There doesn't appear to be any sign of etiolation as the plant is a healthy dark green throughout. There is no rot or infection that I can see either.

So sad but I hope it will recover!

Any advice would be wonderful!

 

i live in salt spring island bc canada, i grow some cactus tons of bromi's and frequently use indoor lighting to give that extra light to ALL my indoor plants. my lemon trees are producing lemons, and flowers, with just the indoor light.
i buy my house plants bulbs which fit in a regular socket, ( no ballast required ) for about $5.99. they last for 50 days at 12 hrs, and 28-30 days at 24 hrs, as i leave the light on some of my seedlings. these lights provide both red and blue light spectrum and lumens which regular light bulbs don't have. to get flowers on some of my cacti i use bud blaster or another flower enhancer. forcing them to flower when they are already stressed from the stretching however may kill your cactus. good luck! cheers!

 

Collapsed how? Do you have a photo? I can think of several reasons to why the branches fell over.

 

Hi Mandarin, I'll get a photo for you today. I'm so worried. Sado right!

 

It is not sick, it is etioliated (but not so badly that the light green growth has appeared), which has resulted in stems that are thinner than they should be and have bent under their own weight. Not much to do about it, the existing stems cannot be forced to grow thicker. Cut off the weakest stems and try to give it more light and lower temperature, especially at night and in winter (not too low, I don't think these are frost-hardy). New stems should grow thicker then. There are cacti that are more tolerant to your climate, if you don't want to try to save this one.

 

Thank you so much for your advice! I definitely want to save this one so ill try to cut away the weaker stems. Can you recommend any "cactus antiseptic" I should use on the wounds? Such a rookie. Sorry!

 

Just dry air - plenty of light, and low humidity.

 

Sometimes sulphur or cinnamon powder is used on wounds, but there is no need for that in this case. Austrocylindropuntia are quite tough cacti, so follow Michael F's advice.

 

You two are stars! Thanks again! ⭐⭐

 

Thanks for the tip cagreene I think a lamp will help come the winter months! Worth a try!

 

Not winter, you need the extra light in summer when the cactus grows. Almost no cactus growers living in northern latitudes provide extra light to their cacti in winter (except a few who keep their cacti growing through winter). Instead the plants are forced into "sleep mode" by withholding water and decreasing temperature in fall. Cacti do not need light then and can be in cool, dark cellars, refrigerators etc. until spring.
A decent lamp could be enough to help a single plant like yours or a small group of small plants (in combination with sunlight from a window), but do not go for the smallest ones, cacti need far more light than ordinary houseplants.
If possible, try to put it outside in summer. Much stronger light (unless it sits in the shadow the whole day), better ventilation and cooler nights.