---
title: "Please help! I bought this fairy castle cactus back in May ‘24 (then…"
description: "Please help! I bought this fairy castle cactus back in May ‘24 (then and now pics 1 and 2). This week, I noticed these scabs/scales mostly on the “back” of…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/Fz8AII3vSrWxzb5qAYHIxA"
community: "Pests, diseases and problems"
author: "Aria"
published: "2024-09-01T17:25:10.119384Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/cOkaf31wQre9j5_RyXc_zQ.webp?size=large"
---

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# Please help! I bought this fairy castle cactus back in May ‘24 (then…

_Posted by Aria on 2024-09-01_

Please help! I bought this fairy castle cactus back in May ‘24 (then and now pics 1 and 2). This week, I noticed these scabs/scales mostly on the “back” of plant. A couple of its limbs have started to fall off. There doesn’t seem to be root rot, and I didn’t notice any pests moving around when I removed the soil. Note: I keep this plant outside on a shelf on my north-facing balcony. I’ve lightly watered it (NOT bottom-watered) only when the soil is completely dry maybe 3 times since May.

![Attachment 1 of 6](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/cOkaf31wQre9j5_RyXc_zQ.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 6](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/vLIKT3umS7SNRtol06aVeQ.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 3 of 6](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/VmaZiYs5QDO9J3u1j607eA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 4 of 6](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/T7JKXuzlRaGPJ32q9tSEtQ.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 5 of 6](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/2Bm3UJLHRJ-L8SY5JxL5fw.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 6 of 6](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/BV6G-xhdSJWzpsPdfmMx4Q.webp?size=large)

## 2 comments

### Dave\_opuntiaface commented on 2024-09-01

Hi. I’m curious if the white stuff comes off? It looks like Scale.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/MXGUlTZ3Sx--iEDvQvC1yg.webp?size=large)

### Aria commented on 2024-09-01

Yes! I gently rubbed off some of the scales with a q-tip. It’s more difficult to remove the lower I go on the limbs.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/r-zheNPkzBDyGfkXpEYhPfvZ5IR-QhLRnqQI7FMwsDo/WfXB2xOZSZ-zKN-dwCUbMA.webp?size=large)

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