skip to main content

Cacti & Succulents

Why is my Cacti falling over.

8 years ago

My 6ft tall cacti that i don,t even know the name of.? After watering my plants that are on my balcony yesterday i moved my cacti because its getting to tall, and a few hours later i noticed my favorite cucti is leaning over very badly and i dont know what to do about it.It is not rotting so why is it leaning over after i moved it.???

Can anyone help.?

Featured Answer

Nicholas C.

8 years ago

Are the light conditions different where you moved it to? Plants tend to lean towards light, not sure if that's what's going on here. It also may just be getting too heavy for its base. Do you have a picture of the full plant, pot and all?

By the way I think you have a Euphorbia trigona. Not actually a cactus though I was fooled by it the first time I saw one as well. If one of the stems breaks just be careful of the sap it affects people differently and some people have a very bad reaction to it just touching their skin. Regardless of your sensitivity to it always wash your hands if you come into contact with it, as the sap can cause temporary blindness.

Beautiful plant you have there.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

ewwmayo
8 years ago
Agreed with it being Euphorbia trigona. Not a cactus but sure looks like one!

It has many leaves now, which means it is quite happy and getting lots of water.

It is a good question about the soil mix used and if the roots are healthy enough to support / anchor your tall plant properly.
Related Discussions
Cacti falling over, succulents dried up at bottom
Q
Comments (1)
Cactus that fell over and bottom mushy but dry up top
...See More
Why are my prairie plants falling over?
Q
Comments (5)
In a garden, many prairie plants and many wildflowers in general tend to get too tall, grow too quickly, and fall over. The soft soil in gardens doesn't help. plus the large size of the plants, soft stems, and young root systems common in gardens all add to the problem. The main problem is that too much fertilizer and too much water and too little competition allow the plants to grow too much. To avoid this I would never fertilize prairie plants in a garden and try to keep the soil very lean. However, if the garden has been used for gardening or as a lawn you may already have too much fertilizer and the problem may continue for years. Avoid watering even if your plants wilt, unless you have young plants that might not yet be able to survive a hard drought. If you can't avoid excessively fast growth, you can cut most plants back without seriously delaying flowering if you cut a couple of months before flowering. This means it may be too late to cut back plants this year, but maybe next year it will work. I cut a few of my oversized plants back to about 2 feet tall once they have grown to about four feet tall, typically in June.
...See More
My baby cactus keeps falling over?
Q
Comments (6)
I believe you hit the nail on the head - not enough roots. Curious as to what it's growing in. Cactus definitely do best with 1/2 inorganic material like gravel and or perlite. The pot looks rather large for the size of the plant. I would only sprinkle water on the surface (not deep watering) near the cactus roots til it starts to firmly grasp the mix on its own. Maybe a small stick like a popsicle stick, coffee stirrer or such can be used to prop the cactus up until it forms it's own rootlets.
...See More
can i take my lawnmower and mow over my hostas in fall
Q
Comments (10)
As for the beer and slugs . . . I've done this and it works, but you have to put the beer in shallow dishes, like pie pans, trays from microwave meals, etc. They aren't going to crawl up a bottle. Also, the beer is only good for a day or two. I guess slugs don't like flat beer. I decided beer is too expensive a method, even using cheap beer. It only works in the area where the saucer of beer is located. Slugs aren't going to travel very far to get to the beer. Anyway, the most cost effective method is to go out at night around 9:00 pm with a flash light hand pick them. Yes it's gross, but I can collect more by hand than I will ever find in a saucer of beer. I also found that my real problem is snails. I collected a lot more snails than slugs from my plants. I think that is because toads eat slugs, but they don't eat snails (at least mine don't). I have a lot of toads in my yard so I don't want to use any baits that may harm them. You will see essentially the same leaf damage from snails and slugs, but as I said, I actually collected a lot more snails than slugs when I started hand picking. Good luck. It is a never ending battle.
...See More
cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
8 years ago
Several 6' stakes, properly placed, will get it growing and anchored
User
8 years ago

I had one completely fall ..... And then completely right itself! It may have been too much rain and it was sweltering hot at the time. It hasnt done it since but when it did, I left it completely alone and let it take care of itself.
dorkstenia
8 years ago
I have a 6-7ft trigona as well. It is a beast to move around! It's in a 15" wide by 12" deep container which it's doing very well in but the situation is very top heavy.

Did you water deeply before moving it? If so, the root ball may have shifted in the container since the top is so heavy. I don't think it will be able to right itself at that size. It could produce upright growth as it is, but then you'd have even more trouble moving it.

I would check the root ball and see if the soil surface has shifted. If so, you could stake it to provide support but if it's already a bit shifty, a good wind could blow it back down. A photo of the container itself would help.

Do be careful with the sap. These tend to poke themselves when moved and leak a milky latex sap. Do not get into eyes or on mucous membranes and wash hands very well to avoid skin irritation. I don't touch euphorbias at all without protective disposable gloves since I'm allergic to latex.
User
8 years ago
Pretty plant. I don't have this one but I have had jade plants lean because they were top heavy and the roots were not able to support the top. I put some large stones on the top of the soil and that helped a lot. The stones help firm the soil just enough to hold the plant upright.
Brad Harris
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Thank you for all comments..I don,t how to re-pot this Euphoria Trigona as its so very heavy and very spiky..Would it be ok to prop it up against a wall.? I have added a full picture as Nicolas C asked..I really like this plant so i dont want to loose it..
The light has not changed i moved the plant here to get more direct sunlight for longer in a day.
Natalia Goukassian-Ardasheva
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Gardening · More Info

My cactus was doing very well... It was growing and looking very healthy until yesterday. At first, one of the tops became limp and started bending. Today the entire two parts of the cactus are limp and falling over. What could be the problem? Do I need to take it out of the pot to see of the roots are rotting? I haven't moved it or changed anything else in the routine that kept it healthy and alive for almost a year now.

Related Stories

FALL AND THANKSGIVING It's Black and White and Fall All Over in a Holiday-Happy Home

Get inspired for budget-friendly fall decorating by a resourceful stylist's thrifty but sophisticated adornments

GARDENING GUIDES Garden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom

LIFE How to Fall Head Over Heels for Your Partner Again

By Joanna Tovia

Bring back that loving feeling this Valentine’s Day, and you just might live happily ever after

MATERIALS Mesquite: The Brawny Beauty for All Over the Home

By Karen Peterson

Denser than other hardwoods and sporting beautiful coloration, mesquite makes a fine material for flooring, countertops, furniture and more

FALL GARDENING Make This Fall’s Garden the Best Ever

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Learn the most important tip for preventing buyer’s remorse, plus get more valuable buying and planting advice

FALL AND THANKSGIVING Fall Decorating Ideas From a Designer to the Stars

By Vanessa Brunner

You might think all-out glitz and over-the-top glamour make up Adam Hunter's fall decorations. You'd be wrong

DECORATING GUIDES A Subliminal Approach to Fall Decorating

By Tiffany Carboni

Get your home in the autumn groove without going over the top, with decorating ideas from two top San Francisco designers

DECORATING GUIDES Inspired by Fall: Reds, Oranges and Browns at Home

By Shawn Gauthier

Add just an accent or rake in the color with shades of autumn all over the house

SHOP HOUZZ Shop Houzz: Cheery Chartreuse for a Brighter Fall

Tired of rust and gold? Head over to bright green with furniture, rugs, lighting and decor

0

HOLIDAYS Halloween and Fall Decorating Ideas to Put You in the Spirit

By Tiffany Carboni

From easy to involved, for the garden and all over the home, these projects and party ideas will conjure a frightfully festive mood

Sponsored

28 Reviews

Franklin County's Preferred Custom Cabinetry & Design Studio

More Discussions

Are cacti legal to sell online?

3

Free plants or cuttings

5

Moon Cactus help

4

21 year old Jade Plant 4ft tall Pruning Repotting Questions Concerns

3

Euphorbia disease advice?

3