The Cactus that Moves
The Cactus that Moves
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Austrocylindropuntia vestita comes from high altitude in both Bolivia and Argentina. Growing above 2,400 metres in grasslands on rocky soils. The name vestita means "clothed" refering to the white hairs that cover the plants. These protect the plants, not only from the cold of the mountains, but also from the increased exposure to ultra violet light at such altitude.
Austrocylindropuntia vestita comes from high altitude in both Bolivia and Argentina. Growing above 2,400 metres in grasslands on rocky soils. The name vestita means "clothed" refering to the white hairs that cover the plants. These protect the plants, not only from the cold of the mountains, but also from the increased exposure to ultra violet light at such altitude.
They grow to about half a metre high and form dense colonies.
They grow to about half a metre high and form dense colonies.
There is a cristate form that is often available from growers, this needs regular maintenance as it often tries to revert to the normal upright branching form.
There is a cristate form that is often available from growers, this needs regular maintenance as it often tries to revert to the normal upright branching form.
This picture shows the main group in our cactus house, the one in the background in the centre is the cristate form. In the foreground on the right is a smaller related cristate form. In the left corner is an Austrocylindropuntia subulata which has since been removed and the leafy plant is a Pereskia.
This picture shows the main group in our cactus house, the one in the background in the centre is the cristate form. In the foreground on the right is a smaller related cristate form. In the left corner is an Austrocylindropuntia subulata which has since been removed and the leafy plant is a Pereskia.
Earlier in 2023, I was in the cactus house late in the evening checking for slugs. This is a regular activity during the summer months as slugs love cactus flower petals, seed pods and even cactus flesh if they can get past the spines. This particular night I noticed one of the Opuntias was leaning right over towards the path. I took a picture of it and published it on Youtube as a single picture entitled "What they do at night when they think you're not looking"
Earlier in 2023, I was in the cactus house late in the evening checking for slugs. This is a regular activity during the summer months as slugs love cactus flower petals, seed pods and even cactus flesh if they can get past the spines. This particular night I noticed one of the Opuntias was leaning right over towards the path. I took a picture of it and published it on Youtube as a single picture entitled "What they do at night when they think you're not looking"
Didn't think anything else of it until the following morning. On checking the cactus house I found it had moved 180 degrees and had it's top firmly snuggled into the cristate one behind it. It occured to me that plants don't normally do this and I remembered back in the winter that it, and all the other vestitas around it had seemingly collapsed overnight. I staked them all up with canes and raffia for a few days until they felt like they were self supporting again and then removed the stakes. I had no idea what had caused them to fall over, I assumed it was a sudden temperature drop or something and didn't think much more about it.
Didn't think anything else of it until the following morning. On checking the cactus house I found it had moved 180 degrees and had it's top firmly snuggled into the cristate one behind it. It occured to me that plants don't normally do this and I remembered back in the winter that it, and all the other vestitas around it had seemingly collapsed overnight. I staked them all up with canes and raffia for a few days until they felt like they were self supporting again and then removed the stakes. I had no idea what had caused them to fall over, I assumed it was a sudden temperature drop or something and didn't think much more about it.
I don't have a picture taken that morning but you can see from the picture below that the plant had moved.
I don't have a picture taken that morning but you can see from the picture below that the plant had moved.
Thinking that there was something unusual going on I set up a simple camera on a tripod and simply took a shot in the same position every time I went into the cactus house. If this picked up any movement that wasn't visible to the human eye then I was thinking about setting up something a bit more technical.
Thinking that there was something unusual going on I set up a simple camera on a tripod and simply took a shot in the same position every time I went into the cactus house. If this picked up any movement that wasn't visible to the human eye then I was thinking about setting up something a bit more technical.
As soon as I thought I'd collected enough pictures I uploaded them to a gif maker to see what we had. When I saw the result I had to take the computer over to my partner to have a look at straight away....
As soon as I thought I'd collected enough pictures I uploaded them to a gif maker to see what we had. When I saw the result I had to take the computer over to my partner to have a look at straight away....
Not only was the original plant moving but so were all the other vestitas around it. The Opuntia subulatas behind them were swaying, but nothing like the dramatic thrashing about of the vestitas. If you sat and looked at the plants in real time you really couldn't make out any movement apart from the occasional flick if one of them got stuck on something, but the camera had revealed a totally different dimension to them. This needed further investigation so with the help of our technical department (William, who knows how to operate the camera) we started to make a timelapse film over a few days.
Not only was the original plant moving but so were all the other vestitas around it. The Opuntia subulatas behind them were swaying, but nothing like the dramatic thrashing about of the vestitas. If you sat and looked at the plants in real time you really couldn't make out any movement apart from the occasional flick if one of them got stuck on something, but the camera had revealed a totally different dimension to them. This needed further investigation so with the help of our technical department (William, who knows how to operate the camera) we started to make a timelapse film over a few days.
The camera recorded the temperature as well as the time. They do seem to wilt when it gets really hot but they don't seem too worried about day or night, they don't seem to be following the sun. Some plants seem to be moving in different directions to the others, but they all give the impression that they're having a good look about.
The camera recorded the temperature as well as the time. They do seem to wilt when it gets really hot but they don't seem too worried about day or night, they don't seem to be following the sun. Some plants seem to be moving in different directions to the others, but they all give the impression that they're having a good look about.
We then wondered if fresh water could be a factor so we set up another time lapse with some bowls of water placed around them to see if they noticed.
We then wondered if fresh water could be a factor so we set up another time lapse with some bowls of water placed around them to see if they noticed.
In this recording the cactus in the middle (by this time known as "Clive") stayed asleep for nearly four days before joining in. Although one plant appeared to plant his face in a bowl of water, we think this was more by accident than design as the others didn't seem too bothered by them.
In this recording the cactus in the middle (by this time known as "Clive") stayed asleep for nearly four days before joining in. Although one plant appeared to plant his face in a bowl of water, we think this was more by accident than design as the others didn't seem too bothered by them.
I have potted up one large plant into a pot on it's own to see if they behave any differently away from the group. But it's now getting into the dormant period for cacti so I won't make a further video until next year. In the meantime I have a tray of rooted cuttings to plant out with the others, partly out of interest and partly to keep them all company.
I have potted up one large plant into a pot on it's own to see if they behave any differently away from the group. But it's now getting into the dormant period for cacti so I won't make a further video until next year. In the meantime I have a tray of rooted cuttings to plant out with the others, partly out of interest and partly to keep them all company.
Without making a timelapse of the entire cactus house I can't say for sure that it's only this species that move in this way, but this is the only one we've observed so far. We will publish any further findings as we make them.
Without making a timelapse of the entire cactus house I can't say for sure that it's only this species that move in this way, but this is the only one we've observed so far. We will publish any further findings as we make them.
November 2023.
November 2023.
Ziggy Searchfield. Member of the Dover Branch of the British Cactus and Succulent Society.
This is the latest timelapse video (May 2025)
They're not moving quite so much at the moment but that may be because "Clive" had uprooted himself and was holding several of the others down.
This is the abridged version in short form
Having uprooted himself, I decided to repot "Clive". He is also older and bigger than most of the others so it's probably best for him to have his own space.
Having uprooted himself, I decided to repot "Clive". He is also older and bigger than most of the others so it's probably best for him to have his own space.
I made this short gif of his movement over the first week of repotting, he certainly reacted to being moved.
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