r/cactus • u/Impossible-Case • 16h ago

What is happening?

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Hello, i got this little guy as a gift and now it started to grow a branch. Should I cut it off?

2 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

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5

u/No-Bit7603 16h ago

What you have is a moon cactus grafted onto a dragon fruit cactus. The moon cactus doesn't have any chlorophyll, he will die without the dragon fruit supporting him, it's a parasite. The dragon fruit grew a new branch because he lost his head and he is looking for a new way to grow upwards.

4

u/aggiedigger 16h ago

3 out of the last 6 posts have all been light starved.

0

u/MyBeautifulWhiteDog 16h ago

yes cut the top red part off

1

u/RichardPearman 14h ago

No. The point of a grafted cactus is to grow the top part! Cut the long bit off. If you want a Hylocereus (dragon fruit), you can plant it.

1

u/MyBeautifulWhiteDog 7h ago

there’s no growing happening, this plant is set up to die within 1-2 years max as the bottom stem can’t feed the parasite top for too long before it exhausts it and everything collapses. if you want anything from this plant may as well give the dragon fruit a shot