---
title: "The variegated side of my cactus (Gymnocalycium friedrechii…"
description: "The variegated side of my cactus (Gymnocalycium friedrechii variegata) is growing more than the non variegated side? I’ve been noticing it for a couple of…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/vOLjreBcQ-OpqrHIhVSc4w/WY6K1AsNf7OnlSw4Z1Qe3u"
community: "The Cactus & Succulent Circle"
author: "Jay"
published: "2026-07-15T03:02:43.040735Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ShEnhCwjWD_EVRccZNWFYq2wZwWoi3-ujlkDknoawuE/BenJ9Q3DToyBJZXHowBmFg.webp?size=large"
---

[Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [The Cactus \& Succulent Circle](https://getplanta.com/community/vOLjreBcQ-OpqrHIhVSc4w.md)

# The variegated side of my cactus (Gymnocalycium friedrechii…

_Posted by Jay on 2026-07-15_

The variegated side of my cactus (Gymnocalycium friedrechii variegata) is growing more than the non variegated side? I’ve been noticing it for a couple of years, but it had a growth spurt this summer and is a lot more noticeable. Everything I’ve read says that the opposite of this should happen (green bits should grow more, since the variegated side isn’t actually photosynthesising). He’s very healthy, full sun, and I always rotate my cacti 90 degrees every day, so it’s not a light inequality thing. Anyone got an explanation? Or is my guy just a little funky 😂.

![Attachment 1 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ShEnhCwjWD_EVRccZNWFYq2wZwWoi3-ujlkDknoawuE/BenJ9Q3DToyBJZXHowBmFg.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ShEnhCwjWD_EVRccZNWFYq2wZwWoi3-ujlkDknoawuE/bKC_FhN3QA-X_ZpvpXNxQg.webp?size=large)

## 4 comments

### Skyrider commented on 2026-07-15

Whatever the answer, that is one gorgeous cactus!

### MK commented on 2026-07-15

Beautiful 🤩

### ABagel commented on 2026-07-16

Maybe the days that the green side is toward the window, it happens to be more overcast in the past year?

### TKBaha commented on 2026-07-18

Mine is doing the same thing!

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/S5QAKtFkCFGWXEWyPkIXexjzcYgalEZmHwi3Er0Xqqk/SHvKE3mkQcKX8U_2OUtNdw.webp?size=large)

---

_Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_