Fascinating fasciations

(Succulentophile is giving way this week to this article by photographer, succulent enthusiast and collector Peter Bangayan.)

Fasciated plants have always been interesting to succulent plant collectors. These unusual and "abnormal" forms can be very striking and always grab the attention of any viewer. Some collectors even exclusively collect only these types of plants. The two common types of fasciation in succulent plants are the crests and the monstrose forms. Crested plants are more common in a number of succulent plant families and are formed when the growing point of the plant elongates and stretches, and starts to grow linearly, making a fan-shaped stem. As the plant grows continuously, the fan becomes undulated and eventually becomes a brain-like mass of stems. Monstrose plants are formed when the plant loses control of its apical meristem or growing point, and begins to form undeveloped and underdeveloped organs (spines, areoles, etc.), which results in a mass of misshapen stems. The causes of fasciation are not really known but there is some indication that in some plants it is hereditary; some studies also suggest that fasciation is triggered when the plant is subjected to mechanical, environmental or chemical stress.

Culturing fasciated succulent plants is very similar to the growing of their normal counterparts. As with normal plants, bright sunlight is essential for a compact and more natural-looking plant. Most plants can be grown in the usual cactus mix of one-third good loam, one-third sharp sand and one-third well-rotted compost. When watering mature crested plants, it is advisable to water cautiously especially during inclement weather because water can become trapped inside the folds of the crests which can cause bacterial and fungal rot. Water plants only when the growing medium is almost dry. Feed plants only during the growing season, which is usually at the onset of hot weather when the plants begin to show growth; feed only once every two weeks with a diluted all-purpose complete fertilizer. Some growers prefer to mix in slow-release fertilizer, such as Multicote or Osmocote into the growing media, which can last for about two months.

Crested and monstrose plants are usually propagated by taking cuttings or by grafting. Grafting is usually used to propagate slow-growing and rare plants, with the plants usually grafted onto robust stocks to make them grow much faster. Cuttings for propagation are usually taken at the thinnest part of the stem where the area of the cut is small to reduce chances of infection by bacteria or fungi. The cut portion is then left to dry until it forms a callous, which may take a few days to a week depending on how large the area of the cut is. Following this, the cuttings can then be planted into a regular growing medium. Sometimes these plants produce normal stems, which should be removed to maintain their crested and monstrose form, other times a normal plant may produce a crested or monstrose branch, which should also be removed and planted as a cutting and hopefully a crested or monstrose form will be produced.

The usual pests that attack succulents are mealy bugs and scales. With crested plants, these may be harder to detect because the insects can hide inside the folds of the crests so that a closer inspection is necessary to detect them. The usual insecticide will take care of mealy bugs; scales, however, are harder to kill but watering with a systemic insecticide will do the job. It goes without saying that insecticides must be handled carefully and instructions followed strictly as these are very poisonous chemicals. For those who prefer safer alternatives there are insecticidal soaps on the market, which are non-toxic to humans, mammals and birds. As it is often said, prevention is the best medicine. Plants given enough water, nutrients and sunlight develop good root systems and become very resistant to pests and diseases. Getting rid of ants and keeping the growing area clean can also contribute towards the cultivation of healthy, disease-free plants.

There are many crested and monstrose succulent plants that are readily available in plant shops and sold during plant shows – cacti crests and a few Euphorbia crests are the most common on the market. Crested cacti such as Mammillaria elongata, Mamillaria spinossisima, Mammillaria prolifera and other Mammillaria species form a brain-like mass of stems and are easy to grow and propagate. The crested plants of the echinopsis species form wide, fan-like stems and are slow growing. Crested Euphorbia plants such as Euphorbia lactea and its variegated form "Grey Ghost" produce undulating fan-like stems. Monstrose plants commonly for sale include Mammillaria bocasana "Fred," which is a disorderly mass of almost spineless stems so unlike the normal Mammillaria bocasana, which is a globose cacti with hooked spines and hairs on the areoles.

A monstrose form of Trichocereus sp., which has multiple stems with bristly soft-brown spines, is also quite common. Sometimes available is the monstrose form of Euphorbia ingens, which is a mass of contorted dark-green stems with minute white flecks. This plant does not seem to grow into the tree-size proportion of the normal candelabra-type Euphorbia ingens. Rarely available are crested Pachypodium plants such as Pachypodium lamerei, Pachypodium geayi and Pachypodium rosulatum crests which, if available, are usually grafted.

Crested Pachypodium lamerei grows fast and can grow quite large (up to three feet in diameter). Its undulating stems form a brain-like mass of spines and leaves as the plant matures. Crested and monstrose forms of astrophytum and gymnocalycium species are available from time to time, and most of them originate from Japan where collectors of unusual and rare succulents abound. The really rare plants are the slow-growing ariocarpus, Euphorbia abdelkuri, Euphorbia piscidermis and Euphorbia turbiniformis, which are usually only seen in publications. There are also crested forms of lophophora plants, echeverias, and jatrophas.

All in all fasciated plants are interesting plants to collect and are usually an attraction in any succulent collection. The challenge for the collector then is finding the plants and growing them well into mature-sized specimens.

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