Hi Markus:

First of all, I should give fair warning that I will not be the only one to mention that it is not the best practice to take plants from the desert. The cactus looks like a type of Opuntia, a cholla, though I'm not sure which one. Cacti cuttings can take months to root, so be patient. Don't water at all until roots form. I have learned this the hard way.

Your trip to Chile must have been amazing! The Atacama desert, I have read, is the driest place on earth. If you have any photos from the trip, please share them on the forum.

Christopher

It looks like Maihuenia poeppigii, a fruit-bearing fast-growing Opuntioid from Chile.

I would leave it alone this winter. It is currently growing by using the water and sugars stored in the larger piece of stem. Eventually, the growing part will make roots of it's own. You could hasten this in the Spring by removing it from the old stem which will force it to root. The larger it is before you make the separation, the better.

Your soil looks terrible, way too much peat. It will retain too much water. You need a free-draining soil mix that is more than 50% inorganic materials like pumice, perlite, gravel, etc. Particle sizes between 1/8 and 3/8 inch. No sand!

Brad

All the cacti that are grown by people everywhere in the world are there because at one time, somebody took one from the desert. There's nothing wrong with taking a small cutting of an opuntioid to grow like you've done. A foraging deer or tortoise would do worse than that in one sitting. In fact, opuntioids regularly self-mutilate in order to spread parts of themselves to other locations as a reproductive strategy. You've taken that to global extremes, making the strategy a ridiculous success from an evolutionary standpoint. So don't let anyone give you any trouble about taking a cutting.

That must have been some trip. I'm really jealous, the Atacama desert is an amazing place.

"So don't let anyone give you any trouble about taking a cutting. "

Perhaps taking a cutting from an opuntioid isn't bad, but note that Markus was unaware of what it was. Bringing plant material into EU without permit is another matter ...

Wally, your last statement is my sentiment exactly.

thanks for all the tips and hints! just so that you all know, i didn't cut a piece off the cactus, it had dropped off itself and was lying under its mother in a pile of other shoots.

however, i doubt it's a Maihuenia poeppigii, it didn't really look like that. the plant looked more like a candelabra, maybe a meter tall. i was not smart enough to take a picture of it.

(i took a lot of other pics though, if anyone is interested here they are: http://picasaweb.google.se/marka971/Chile#)

/markus

It's probably an Austrocylindropuntia. And if I remember correctly, Maihuenia is in its own sub-family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Austrocylindropuntia_subulata0.jpg That's probably a monstrose one, but you get the point.

I thought Austrocylindropuntia too, Maihuenia have smoother stems and more spines, but I am too unfamiliar with Austrocylindropuntia to confirm it.

Go ahead and make sure you keep it in a loose soil. It looks like opuntia imbricata. In the future though please do not take things from one country and introduce to another. Bad things could happen. Google cane toads, zebra mussels, kudzu vine, prickly pears in australia.

O. imbricata grows in southern US and Mexico, not Chile.

Uncontrolled spreading of cacti in Sweden is extremely unlikely, but viruses and bugs can be a problem if you are unlucky.

maybe this link will help.

Here is a link that might be useful: lists some cacti of Chile too

Pretty pretty pretty good.
South America has all the neat cacti.

DR,

They do have many of them, but all?

That's. completely. incorrect.

Take a look at:

Ariocarpus

Turbinocarpus

Digitostigma

Astrophytum

Mammillaria

Coryphantha

Bergerocactus

Carnegia

and oh,say Coryphantha, not to speak of Pediocactus and a number of others

And Echinocereus!

"Digitostigma "

* looks up picture *

Oh my gawd want want want want want want want.

They can be purchased at the Huntington Gardens, so why steal them. Jeff, run, I am we are going to be tared and feathered. My list is growing longer, or people who I don't invite to the Huntington or my house and who I send out plants to. I am running as fast as I can. I don't want you to come to my Huntington Garden either. Jeff you are always welcome here, you are honest gentleman. Norma

amccour, Do ya mean like this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: My Digitostigma

I stand correctamated.

Wish to amend to: South America has many of the neat cacti.

DR,

It's a condition I often find myself in, too. Your wish is granted, sir.

Honestly, we didn't want you to exclude from your collection of pricklies all those plants north of South America - denial is a river in Egypt but it's not what you want in your plants.

This plant, most likely an Austrocylindropuntia, needs so much full sun, you hardly will be able to grow it in its typical shape in Sweden.

Jordi

Re kudzu and cane toads and Audrey II- - Ya'll really think that itty bitty cactus is gonna go native in Sweden??

(Of course stranger things have happened - - )