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Identify These Two Cactus

westes Zone 9b California SF Bay

2 years ago

Does anyone have a species for either or both of these two cactus?

I guess to move the multi-branch cactus, I probably have to cut off most of the arms?

Featured Answer

fig_insanity Z7b E TN

2 years ago

No need to mutilate the cacti to move them. Here's how I deal with them when re-potting. You'll need brown Kraft paper (or newspaper) and twine. Wrap several layers of paper around the whole cactus and then cinch it up with several rounds of twine, top to bottom, so the paper is held tightly in place. Then dig or un-pot the cactus (I can't tell if they're potted or planted), handling by the root ball and the twine. Of course, wear gloves, too, especially when wrapping them. If you can't find Kraft paper, newspaper will work, you'll just need to use more layers. When you have them re-planted, cut the twine and unwrap. Good luck.

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Comments (8)

Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
2 years ago
Left cactus is Pachycereus pringlei.

Right cactus is Myrtillocactus geometrizans.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
2 years ago
@fig_insanity Z7b E TN Do you understand the cactus on the right could easily weigh 300 to 500 pounds? Assume by volume that the plant occupies about 64 US gallons and go calculate the weight of 64 gallons of water....
fig_insanity Z7b E TN
2 years ago
No, I didn't realize it was that large. There's no real sense of scale in your photo. The fence is no help because for all the photo shows, the cacti could be in a raised bed, and one foot, or ten, from the fence. And a cactus is NOT solid water, it's full of vesicles, air pockets, and sap. Some cacti are less than 10% water. But in any case, I doubt it weighs 300# even if it is 6 feet tall. And even though it might take two people to handle it, the method is the same that professional landscapers use to handle cacti, though they sometimes use even heavier paper.

My sincere apologies for attempting to help. Sooooo sorry.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked fig_insanity Z7b E TN
Alain (Pacifica, CA;10a)
2 years ago
Are those still in ground? I saw a post on Craigslist and understand they were free to whoever can dig them up and take away. I have done this with larger cactuses before using method like described by fig_insanity. Happy to dig them up and take away if this is the question. Let me know.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked Alain (Pacifica, CA;10a)
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
2 years ago
@Alain (Pacifica, CA;10a) Large cactus in the ground are almost always given away. They want someone to do free garden work for them.
socks
2 years ago
Remove 2-3 of the longest "arms" until it seems a managable size and weight. Wrap as described above. Recruit 2-3 people to help. Dig around it and maneuver onto a dolly to roll it to its next home.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked socks
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
2 years ago
@socks What I was going to use was either shipping blankets or a tarp with reinforced nylon. Paper alone would probably not stop barbs coming through. In the SF Bay Area, using a site like Taskrabbit to recruit help, you will end up paying more than $50/hr. Multiply three people by even two hours and you have a $300 plant. So finding strategies to do this on your own is maybe the only way to make it cost-effective. For a very large specimen of course you would have no choice.

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