BREWTON, AL:
Local gardener David Good discovered his pair of prized Peruvian apple cactus were completely destroyed after a freak cold snap plunged temperatures into the mid-teens.
“I planted them in my garden a few months ago,” Good told our reporter. “They’re supposed to be pretty hardy. But in the few weeks since the frost, it became obvious they weren’t going to make it.”
He held up his phone and displayed a photo of a brown and almost see-through columnar cactus.
“This? See this? I loved this plant.”
“It grew from a cutting I received from my friend Sam,” the gardener continued. “See, his son Zeke had grown a cutting from my old plant, back in 2015 or so, which I lost when I moved. Then when I moved back to the states he gave me those cuttings. Look, here’s the other one!” he said, holding up his phone.
Good reports that many other plants were damaged in the frost, though few were killed other than the two cactus.
The deadly cold snap happened the week of December 26th, with reported temperatures as low as 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Good family is holding a memorial for their cactus this weekend, and ask that instead of flowers, mourners donate instead to the Cactus Conservation Institute.
16 comments
You can have a cutting back from my cactus.
Too soon!
You have my condolences. Heaven needs plants too.
(heart emoji)
Maybe a protective covering, straw or leaves could have saved it?
Probably. It was wimpier than reported.
RIP, Apple Cactus.
Tragic loss! Where is the outrage concerning this freaky weather? Many prayers to DTG and family during this trying time.
We must rise up and cast off this arctic oppression!
“They” say it’s better to have loved and lost, right? Respect for posting the L’s and the W’s David. Much appreciated and admired.
…than never to have planted at all…
AH…MAN!!!
I may have made a donation for the advancement and preservation of peyote, as requested, in memory of their Peruvian kin.
(heart emoji)
Rest in peace!
We lost a cactus as well when that freak cold snap hit at the end of December. It was in a pot but we were out of town at the time so we couldn’t move it inside, and it succumbed. We got that cactus from my husband’s now deceased grandfather, more than 10 years ago, and it had been flourishing all that time…and it was the only potted plant we took with us when we moved.
I feel your pain!
Same happened to my cactus. My thick hardy 5 foot tall Peruvian apple cactus had just put out a couple of new arms on top and the unexpected frost hit them and they drooped over and were all squishy.I cut them off & tried to let them dry so I could repot them, but they just turned brown and rotted. So sad to see the new growth go like that. I wanted to cry. The momma plant is about 14 years old now and still survived even after the freeze of 18 degrees. This was 2 years ago. My cactus is still living has some scabbing but has given me some delicious red apples and beautiful flowers.
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