It gained its common name from its textured stems, which resemble totem poles with many faces.
Totem Pole Cactus Care
Here are the main care requirements for growing a totem pole cactus.
Directly in front of a west- or south-facing window are both great options if you are growing it indoors.
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
A lack of light will cause these cacti to grow leggy.
Cactus and succulent soil are both great options or mixDIY cactus soil at home.
Water
Totem pole cacti are extremely drought tolerant and susceptible to overwatering androot rot.
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
Cut back on watering in the fall and winter months when the cactus goes dormant.
Apply a cactusfertilizeronce a month during the spring and summer for the best results.
However, these cacti can be successfullypropagated using stem cuttings.
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
This plant is slow-growing so patience is necessary.
Take these simple steps.
Once every two to three years is usually sufficient.
apollob66 / Getty Images
Repotting should also be done during the spring or summer months when the plant is actively growing.
Increasing the pot size too quickly does not benefit the plant in any way and can cause accidental overwatering.
Fill the new pot with fresh potting mix before transferring the cactus from its outgrown container.
Keep an eye out for signs ofmealybugs,scale, andaphids.
Treat accordingly at the first sign of an infestation.
These desert cacti are also susceptible to root rot if they are exposed to overwatered conditions.
However, there are a few issues that you may encounter when growing this desert cactus.
Keep an eye out for the following common problems.
Splitting Stems
Split stems are due to overwatering.
Usually, this happens when the plant is subjected to a long period of drought and then watered excessively.
Mushy Stems
If you notice the stem of your totem pole cactus is getting brown and mushy.
your plant is likely suffering from root rot.
Unfortunately, once mushy stems have set in it is usually too late to save the plants roots.
Turning Yellow
Cacti turn yellowwhen they are suffering from underwatering or shock.
A drastic change in growing conditions (amount of light, temperature, watering schedule, etc.)
can cause shock in an otherwise healthy plant, and can also result in accidental underwatering.
Watering your cactus more frequently should help fix the issue over time.
A totem pole cactus is not difficult to take care of once you find one.
The totem pole cactus is not a fast grower.
It’s incredibly slow, growing up to 3 inches a year.
