Crazy cactus

By Bridget Cook
MARK Hamer’s story goes a little like that of Jack and the Beanstalk – but his plant is a cactus.
The Dandenong resident purchased a cactus plant more than 20 years ago, and up until last year it never grew any higher than about 1.5 metres.
In October, Mr Hamer went overseas to Egypt for a month and returned to his Lexton Avenue home to find the cactus plant in his front yard had grown to the height of his roof and was pushing on the roof gutters.
Mr Hamer said since then, the cactus had continued to grow and now was about he height of a two-storey building.
“For about 20 years, it has been the same size, about up to my chest,” he said.
“But it has now gone berserk. I don’t know what’s happened to it or where its growth came from. It seems to be still growing.
“It now even has branches and flowers sprouting from the top.”
Mr Hamer said he now wanted an explanation of what could have happened to it.
“I’d really like to know what it is or what’s happened to it,” he said.
“If anyone could help me it would be great.”