I just adopted this plant. The women I got it from says ...
I just adopted this plant. The women I got it from says it gets a milky scale on it and she scrubs it with dawn and scratches the scale off. Is that normal or is there a problem -plus I’m really not sure what it is-does anyone know?
4” pot with drainage
Last watered 3 months ago
34
Best Answer
No that is not normal at all and is usually caused by a pest. Don't put her near the others.
It sounds like she was talking about the milky substance produced by cochineal scale.
It looks like she actually scrubbed off the whole protective layer to remove them. When you do that it leaves open wounds making it extremely vunerable to pest infections and also bacterial and fungal infections.
She should be green not white it's because that layer has been scrubbed away.
She may callous over hopefully but that is a very large surface damaged.
I recommend NO water for a couple of weeks you want those wounds to heal and callous over. Letting her dry will help that process happen.
DO NOT put her in sun at all until callous has formed.
If you see cochineal scale forming again they will put a waxy layer on top to lay eggs in.
Spot treat those with a a-tip dipped in alcohol it will melt away the protective outer layer.
Then apply treatment with a soft paint brush.
1 Tablespoon Castile Soap mixed into 32 ounces of water.
If you have a soft brush like a paintbrush use that to apply the solution. You must be extremely gentle with her because of the outer layer being removed.
After treatment wash off the Castile Soap and water with plain water.
NEVER use dish soap it will absolutely damage your wounded cacti.
Repeat every 3 days for 3 weeks. You must repeat process every 3 days they reproduce very quickly. And cochineal scale can be tough to eradicate you must stay on top of it.
It sounds like she was talking about the milky substance produced by cochineal scale.
It looks like she actually scrubbed off the whole protective layer to remove them. When you do that it leaves open wounds making it extremely vunerable to pest infections and also bacterial and fungal infections.
She should be green not white it's because that layer has been scrubbed away.
She may callous over hopefully but that is a very large surface damaged.
I recommend NO water for a couple of weeks you want those wounds to heal and callous over. Letting her dry will help that process happen.
DO NOT put her in sun at all until callous has formed.
If you see cochineal scale forming again they will put a waxy layer on top to lay eggs in.
Spot treat those with a a-tip dipped in alcohol it will melt away the protective outer layer.
Then apply treatment with a soft paint brush.
1 Tablespoon Castile Soap mixed into 32 ounces of water.
If you have a soft brush like a paintbrush use that to apply the solution. You must be extremely gentle with her because of the outer layer being removed.
After treatment wash off the Castile Soap and water with plain water.
NEVER use dish soap it will absolutely damage your wounded cacti.
Repeat every 3 days for 3 weeks. You must repeat process every 3 days they reproduce very quickly. And cochineal scale can be tough to eradicate you must stay on top of it.
Messi barbary fig" refers to a Barbary fig cactus that belongs to a user named "Messi" on a plant-focused app called Greg, which is a platform for plant enthusiasts to share information and discuss their plants. The Barbary fig (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a cactus species native to Mexico, but it is also known as prickly pear, and its fruit and pads are edible and nutritious.
What it is
A user-named plant:
"Messi" is not a type of Barbary fig, but rather the name of the user who owns this particular plant, according to a social media post on the Greg app.
The Barbary fig plant:
The Barbary fig is a species of cactus known for its pads (nopales) and edible fruits.
Also called:
The plant and its fruit are also known as prickly pear, Indian fig opuntia, and cactus pear.
Where it comes from
The Barbary fig is native to Mexico and was introduced to other parts of the world, particularly the Mediterranean region, by Christopher Columbus.
It has adapted well to desert and arid climates.
Edible Uses
Fruit: The sweet, slightly sour fruit is a good source of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. It's a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine.
Pads (Nopales): The pads of the cactus are also edible and are used in many dishes.
Caution: The fruit is covered in painful spines and small, hair-like structures called glochids, so it requires careful harvesting and preparation to avoid injury.
Cultivation
The Barbary fig is a drought-tolerant plant that prefers poor, well-draining soils and full sun.
It is best suited for arid climates but can be grown in containers indoors with appropriate care.
What it is
A user-named plant:
"Messi" is not a type of Barbary fig, but rather the name of the user who owns this particular plant, according to a social media post on the Greg app.
The Barbary fig plant:
The Barbary fig is a species of cactus known for its pads (nopales) and edible fruits.
Also called:
The plant and its fruit are also known as prickly pear, Indian fig opuntia, and cactus pear.
Where it comes from
The Barbary fig is native to Mexico and was introduced to other parts of the world, particularly the Mediterranean region, by Christopher Columbus.
It has adapted well to desert and arid climates.
Edible Uses
Fruit: The sweet, slightly sour fruit is a good source of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. It's a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine.
Pads (Nopales): The pads of the cactus are also edible and are used in many dishes.
Caution: The fruit is covered in painful spines and small, hair-like structures called glochids, so it requires careful harvesting and preparation to avoid injury.
Cultivation
The Barbary fig is a drought-tolerant plant that prefers poor, well-draining soils and full sun.
It is best suited for arid climates but can be grown in containers indoors with appropriate care.
It really depends on how much work you want to put into her. Honestly she has about 50% chance of survival maybe less. She has had so much of her protective surface removed.
Plus, she does put your other plants at risk. And that type of scale can be very difficult to eradicate.
I believe in trying to save all plants. But, I don't think I would risk my collection with one with such a high risk and low chance of survival.
Plus, she does put your other plants at risk. And that type of scale can be very difficult to eradicate.
I believe in trying to save all plants. But, I don't think I would risk my collection with one with such a high risk and low chance of survival.
@SuperbRaspfern I’m going to quarantine her completely away from all other plants. I do have a room where there are no plants-should I keep her completely away from the sun?
@HappySelah25 Good, I'm glad you are isolating. And yes absolutely no sun until she heals over and forms her protective callous. She will burn very fast if exposed to sun. The callous should start forming in a few days. I would expect her to take about a month to full callous over since it's a large surface area. Keep me posted, I love seeing a struggling plant bounce back! 🌵
It will be a fun challenge and so rewarding when she bounces back! 🤞 I've got faith in you and her. 🩷
It will be a fun challenge and so rewarding when she bounces back! 🤞 I've got faith in you and her. 🩷
@HappySelah25 Great question. But unfortunately, no. Cactus dont respond to it like we do. It would cause more harm than good. That would keep her moist and not allow the air to dry her out. You want her to dry out the dry air is her best friend.
Now what you can do for her is add a fan to the room she's in. I use little 6 inch clip on fans for this purpose. If you aim it at her a few feet away the air flow aids her ability to dry and callous over. It will also help to prevent fungal and bacterial infections in her open wounds.
Now what you can do for her is add a fan to the room she's in. I use little 6 inch clip on fans for this purpose. If you aim it at her a few feet away the air flow aids her ability to dry and callous over. It will also help to prevent fungal and bacterial infections in her open wounds.
@SuperbRaspfern can you send me a picture of what she should look like-what species is she? Thank you so very much for all the great advice
@HappySelah25 She looks like a Barbary Fig just a little beat up. 😢 If she starts to rot in a paddle, then we will talk about propagating a paddle so you can keep her going. 🩷
@SuperbRaspfern I brought her to my office that has fluorescent lights and a window that faces South but she will be 4 feet away from it. Will that work? Also, should I repot her or wait? TIA 😀. Here is a picture showing why I think it needs repotted-the bottom part and into the soil looks very sick and there is a large area touching the pot in the side that’s difficult to treat where it is
@SuperbRaspfern Wow!!!! That is a lot!! I sure hope she survives. I will do my best. Poor baby. I picked a name suggested by Greg-Messi which can mean gift which seems appropriate if she lives. We will be a gift to each other.
@SuperbRaspfern here’s a couple more photos-what should I do with these brown areas? Are they part of the pest problem or scar tissue?
@SuperbRaspfern thanks to your expert advice! When I bought the plant my hubby went with me-when she was telling me about scratching off the scales my hubby asked-how does that happen in nature. She just ignored his question and silly me I was thinking that he knows less than I do about plants I think I will listen to him more closely now!!
AND Ivbought a LOT of plants from her-I am keeping them all quarantined and will inspect them carefully!
AND Ivbought a LOT of plants from her-I am keeping them all quarantined and will inspect them carefully!
@HappySelah25 Oh my goodness! Sometimes are hubbies do figure it out before us. He will be quite proud of himself I imagine! 😅🩷
She's looking better already!
She's looking better already!
@SuperbRaspfern it’s been a week of treatments for the cactus. I only saw one scale all week. She is all dried out and I gave her her first drink today.
@HappySelah25 That wonderful news! I'm so glad she's improving and the bugs are leaving!!! 🩷