Hi There, My cactus is looking rather weak and has white bits on it, not sure what I'm doing wrong here, I only water it every two weeks or so (sometimes longer) as I don't want to kill it.
Using the magnifier on my computer I cannot detect any signs of woolly aphid ; maybe what I think you're looking at are the spine-bearing areoles (modified leaves) which are endemic to all cacti .
I don't know if you've got the specific name for your plant , but if you're interested it is a fair looking specimen of Opuntia brasiliensis .
Is it near a source of natural light? I only water my cacti about once a month and hardly at all in winter. I water them until water starts to run out of the drainage hole and then stop, only watering again when the top two cm or so are fully dry.
It's not the spines I am seeing but the white cotton like growths at the base of the pads where they connect to the pad below. They are stark white and not the slightly yellow spines areolas.
Agree with @Paul B3 re Opuntia. Usually tough as old boots if drainage /soil medium is suitable. I can't see any white bits on the plant and think, as above, you could be confusing them with the areoles. Easy enough to check by gently wiping the suspect spots and see if they come away.
If in any doubt I would spray the entire plant with dilute soap-solution , leave for 3-4 minutes and then rinse off ; this normally eradicates any critters you don't want
I can clearly see the signs of woolly aphid in the classic areas that they love, ie the leaf joints and the base If you follow the centre stem up to where the little pad is now forming, you can see a mass of white fluff at the base. There is also a few bits at the base where the soil is and one on the far right pad.
Yes sorry I was meaning mealy bugs and not woolly aphids. I was talking to someone yesterday who had woolly aphids on his crabapples and must of had it on the brain.
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I can't see any white bits on the plant and think, as above, you could be confusing them with the areoles. Easy enough to check by gently wiping the suspect spots and see if they come away.
If you follow the centre stem up to where the little pad is now forming, you can see a mass of white fluff at the base. There is also a few bits at the base where the soil is and one on the far right pad.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.