Cactus update

Well, I must admit, I thought the top part was a cactus, but I was slightly suspicious about the rootstock, it did have a bit of a Euphorbia look about it
So that has sorted it @Tetters.

Neither part is a cactus.

Its a Euphorbia.

 

Thats going on the compost heap then, and will be suing B&Q for mis selling and false advertising

 

Yeah well, B&Q, your lucky, they took a stab at it being a Cacti.

Often it just says "green plant, water when dry, dont put in direct light"

 

No, no no.... @pete ...I think the root stock is a bit of cactus with a bit of fasciated 'thingy' stuck in the top

 

Bet @Silver surfer won't have a clue on this one

 

A typical case of convergent evolution ; Cacti and Euphorbias have evolved to their own environments over several million years . Compare the attributes of Astrophytum asterias to Euphorbia obesa , similar looking but from a completely different taxa .
Assuming present day S.America and Africa were once one land mass , the ancestors of these plants adapted accordingly to their relatively harsh environments as the continents drifted apart .
Cacti are thought to have evolved about 25 million years ago .
In the most extreme droughts , nothing will attack or feed on the Euphorbias due to the corrosive sap ; cacti rely mainly on spination for protection .
A common fallacy is to think that cacti are all desert plants ; Frailea and Blossfeldia spp. grow alongside grasses and other plants in areas of moderately high rainfall ; Uebelmannia and Buiningia grow in hot humid forests in Brazil in virtually pure quartz sand .

Not easy requirements to replicate in cultivation !!

If you want decent plants , don't rely on B & Q ; there are quite a few specialist nurseries in the UK supplying named species .

 

F*****g hell ; I'm ranting on again !

 

I'd just like to say, succulent Euphorbias are not cacti, they have thorns rather than spines I believe.
And only Cacti have Areoles.

 

Whilst working at Whitestone Nurseries in the 80s , I once had the misfortune to get Euphorbia sap in my left-eye ; NEVER AGAIN!!!.....believe me , it hurts .
I'd rather have been 'kicked up the areole' Pete !

 

You ain`t 'arf clever @PaulB3

I usually refer to 'those' things as warts Pete

 

Tetters
I can feel my head swelling already !

 

On-line Guide to the positive identification of Members of the Cactus Family

This can be interesting also !