Before we find a solution let's address the first problem: why aren't there enough roots? Is it a cutting? Did the roots die? If so, why?

I've looked at more photos, I think it's a trigona. A friend called it a 'hatrack'. I got it two years ago growing in a 1 gal can. By the time I got it home (200 mi from purchase origin), it had toppled out of the can. It was about 3' tall at the time. I transplanted it into a mixture of sand/loam with a 7" clay pot. Last summer, same scenario, winds toppled it out of its pot. Repotted topped soil with large rocks.

This a.m. found it once again out of the pot. The small mass that was under the soil is less than 3" deep and perhaps 3" in diameter. After probing I do not find anything that appear to be viable roots. The lowest section of the plant is about 7" tall, then the branches (3) start. I've been tempted to put this entire lower section down into the pot, then fill with soil or rock...decided to seek advice before I proceeded.

I have no experience with cactus. I do grow multitudes of plants & want to be successful with this one.

It sounds like it's suffering from root rot. You need a more porous soil that will dry out faster. Look for gritty ingredients like pumice, perlite, lava rock, granite grit, pine bark, etc. My soil mix basically looks like gravel because I don't use any topsoil or peat. Try to use at least 70% grit, and you should be able to reroot it. Grit will be anything around 1/8" or larger. Most sand is still too fine.

Also try not to overpot. A 7" pot may be too big, but you could fill much of the pot with larger rocks to reduce soil mass and stabilize the plant.

I have sponge rock, lava rock & pine bark all at hand. All sizes of various rock too. What about putting the lower 7" of the plant down into the pot? When I planted it before I only went to the depth of the original potting. Will watering with a rooting stimulant help?

I have some of the rigid 3 & 4' plastic stakes. So I can put them on three sides against the trunk of the plant & tie it together to stabilize it. It would still get much more stability if I can drop the lower segment into the pot. I'm just rambling here, thinking out loud. Your thoughts please.

Hi Grannick,

Your thoughts appear geared more to houseplants than succulents. Xero (X) posting above is right, we needs to adddress why no roots & improve things such that it will root.

Pls. DO NOT plant the plant any deeper than it was originally, that will only increase its chances of rotting. Forget watering w/ root stimulant, that's not it either. You could also cut back on the watering as it's a succulent & reserves water in its flat, fleshy leaves. A plant w/out roots can't take up much water, so the more you give liquid to a plant w/ no roots, the more you increase the chances of rot.

I'd remove the plant, rough up the bottom a bit like w/ a fork, making little scratches. Then dust the bottom w/ cinnamon (ordinary cinnamon like one uses to bake); it's an anti-fungal which helps prevent rot. Then I'd reseat it in a terra cotta pot w/ a drainage hole & just weight it down w/ rocks. I wouldn't tie it or stake it, just use rocks to prop them around the base.

Oh, pls. don't water it in, it doesn't need or want it.

Pls. don't do any of the things you're suggesting as they are all taking you in the oppoposite direction of harming rather than helping your plant.

Finally, in case you don't know, Euphorbia's white sap can be harmful to our skin, at least irritating. Therefore, one always advises caution w/ these, pls. BE SURE to wash your hands well before touching any part of your face, especially your mucous membranes. Better safe than sorry w/ this. Good luck!

pirate girl is on the right track. Not only do we need to figure out how to re-root your plant, but we also need to make sure that root loss does not happen again.

As to what caused the root loss - it could be either rot and/ or cold damage...or...it could be dessication from being too dry. It's hard to tell which without further investigation, but regardless my advice would be:

1) Take the plant and leave it out to dry somewhere not too hot or sunny, for about a week or so. Room temp is fine. This will allow any healthy roots time to heal and callous.

2) Get a decent sized clay pot (since it is heavy and will help with support) that will accommodate a new root system. Use a very porous mix - I wouldn't have a problem with even 100% perlite or pumice or similar.

3) Set the plant into the pot at the same level it was before. Any deeper can be risky. Use as many stakes and supports as you need to keep the plant stable. Be creative and figure out how to keep it from moving - use bungees or something similar if necessary.

4) Water in, and situate your plant somewhere warm, dry and bright but try to avoid direct sun. The goal for the next several months is to encourage a new root system. Don't overburden the plant unnecessarily with direct sun or desiccating heat.

5) Water lightly every now and then. I can't be more specific than that, it depends on the conditions. Don't allow the root ball to sit in a wet mix for too long.

6) When you see signs of new active growth, your plant will also be actively pushing a new set of roots to keep up with the top growth. You can then steadily increase the amount but not the frequency of water. Also add a very dilute, all purpose liquid feed with micronutrients.

7) If all goes well, by the end of the summer a full new root system will be in place. At this point, you can repot into a more permanent pot with a more traditional mix. Don't let the roots dry out completely during the winter - root loss from dessication is just as likely, if not more, than root loss from over-watering and rot.

x

Granniek:
I agree with PG in that you have to change your way of thinking when dealing with succulents. If you keep wanting to water, this will happen again. To repeat what has been repeated so many times on this forum already, when it comes to watering, "When in doubt, don't."

Christopher

I didn't rot the roots, likely I dried them up! I do grow succulents, also orchids and I know the evils of overwatering. So, it's probably been a combination of drying out too much and then toppling out of it's pot & laying for days on end in our hot SW Texas heat.

Thx for your tips; I now have a plan. I'll scrape the bottom of the plant, dust it with cinnamon (so nice to have a spicey fragrance rather than offensive smell of a fungicide). Let it sit for a few days. Back into my clay pot with nothing other than rocks & my heavy duty stakes. I'll move it into a more shaded area, out of the wind and the path of our two large dogs. A note on the fridge to not forget to mist it a couple times a week, depending on our temps.. Cross my fingers and hopefully this lovely, though horribly prickly, plant will grow new roots.

What do you think...have I left anything out? Wish me luck and thx so very much for setting me on the right track.

Sheila :)

Howdy!
What do you mean by "mist" a couple times a week?

Josh

Howdy right back ;)

I use a pump-up hand sprayer filled with rainwater to mist vanda roots in the early afternoon of our hot Texas summers. Vandas must be completely dry by nightfall, but they thrive on humidity. The vandas are sprayed daily, other plants are sprayed in this fashion too, but not as regularly. I can just work the cactus into this schedule.

Nope, I know we gave a lot of info. to take in. You've got most of it but it's good that you asked, let's check again, pls. go back to X's post #2 which says in part:

"Get a decent sized clay pot ... **Use a very porous mix ** - I wouldn't have a problem with even 100% perlite or pumice or similar."

Also, forget misting this, it's not a tropical plant, I'd predict rot w/ that.

If you must mist, then mist THE MIX, not the plant. That way the plant will not be wet & hopefully will have to grow a root or 2 to take moisture FROM the mix.

PS: since you grow Orchids: It's from Orchid Growers that I learned about Cinammon's use as an antifungal. Brush it on the area w/ small brush or dab on w/ Q-tip, then shake off the excess & continue.

Misting the Euphorbia is not necessary unless the ambient humidity is very low. Ignorance is bliss. x

OK, I can live with 'Ignorance is Bliss', no misting. We generally have ambient humidity in the 40 - 60*.

With the orchids I very seldom use the 'big guns'. My arsenal is cinnamon or peroxide, alcohol & qtips. We have lots of home made remedies for the ills and or good of our plants.

I recently purchased another succulent and need to start a thread to get an ID. First I need to get my camera working so I can post a pic. I've been googling but no luck on getting an ID.

Happy growing :)

Yes, we love pics! ;)

Josh

Trying to post a pic of a NOID cactus. Hope this works.

{{gwi:526877}}

the photo is HUGE! How do I make it smaller? I'm on dial-up and it took my 'puter almost 15 minutes to upload this one picture.

dial-up???? I didn't even realize that was still around, LOL

You need a photo editing software to re-size and then you can upload a smaller picture.

That is definitely an Agave, maybe A. lophantha

x

All right, I'll try a pic of the Euphorbia. I still have moved it to start it's first aid. Busy weekend.

{{gwi:526879}}

Durn, I thought I made the pic smaller, looks like it's even larger. I think I better give up on this photo/computer and go to work with the plant.

granniek:

Photo is fine, nothing wrong with a large photo to show more detail! Forgive me for being bold, but I might suggest you enter the 21st century and invest in broadband :) Dial up? I couldn't even imagine that in this video, audio and photo saturated web today.

Now, to your Euphorbia, I am not even sure it is E. trigona. Mine is more symmetrical, with variegation on the center of the stems. I would ditch the organic potting medium and put in pure perlite, pumice or the like, until you see root growth. I am sure others can give you more detailed instructions. Good luck.

Christopher

Hi Christopher. I feel blessed to live on a ranch in SC Texas. So many positives to living in the country...but one of the biggest negatives is that there is still a lack of high speed service available to me. Those we can get are not worth the expense to this senior citizen. I must spend my $$$ on a legion of necessities, then next my hobbies. My priorities have had to change. I'm still far more fortunate than many.

Happy growing.
Sheila :)