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Nasty looking scale on Christmas Cactus

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/alicekonash/P1010330_zps1d687cb1.jpg

 

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/alicekonash/P1010327_zpse3ae9056.jpg

 

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/alicekonash/P1010329_zps9eb4e2fc.jpg

Does anyone know what has caused the white scaly stuff on this plant? I bought some Christmas Cactus plants from a supplier in the Netherlands and this has happened to two or three others too. The existing plants I already have are OK. It's affecting the lower portion of the plants but it's definitely not just woodiness emerging due to age as they are only about a year old.

Advice greatly appreciated! If it's infectious then I'll get rid of them but I'd ideally like to keep them as the flower colours are quite unusual.

 

Posts

  • Difficult to tell really, but judging by some of the damage elsewhere, it may be due to grazing by slugs/snails which has healed or it may be a fungal infection.  Some slug protection would be advisable and you could try giving them a spray with a general fungicide in case it is the latter.  They are not hardy, so remember to put them somewhere frost-free with plenty of light before the first frost arrives. 

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • My thoughts are the same as Bob's - it looks to me as if snails have been grazing off the surface of the plant and it's then calloused over.

    Slugs and snails love them.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • AlkoAlko Posts: 21

    Hmm maybe it is snails. I think the first one that started showing signs of it was in the conservatory to begin with though. I'm starting to wonder actually whether it might be where they've been watered and sun's scorched the surface.

    I shall try giving them a spray with fungicide just in case. Thank you for the feedback.

  • Aaargh, it could be sunscorch if you've been letting the foliage get wet and it's been in bright sunshine - Christmas Cacti do better in semi-shade, not bright sunshine.

    Water the compost only, not the foliage.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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