As with pretty much all cacti, Golden Barrel cacti are notorious for having a pretty green appearance for the succulent as a whole, but sometimes this cactus can be found turning brown.
So when you see a Golden barrel cactus turning brown you may be thinking there is something wrong with it and for the most part you are correct.
This is usually a sign that your cactus is in not so great shape and there are factors contributing to this odd appearance that you should be aware of.
So without further adu, here are some of the reasons why your Golden barrel has turned brown instead of gorgeous green.
Fungus has invaded your Golden Barrel
Like with most cacti, fungus can get a hold of the succulent and cause some serious damage to not only the plant but the roots that provide for the plant.
If you’re lucky then the fungal infection may only be on the outside of your golden barrel but if this cactus has turned brown, odds are the fungus has made it’s way to the roots.
This will cause your cactus to be brown and mushy so if those are some things your succulent is experiencing then this could be the reason why.
Also if you’re wondering what has caused the fungus then you should take a look at how you are watering your golden barrel cactus as overwatering or damp conditions will be the main contributor.
It could be you have been watering too much or it could be you are using the wrong type of soil for the golden barrel to get this way.
Use this soil instead.
Either way those are the things you will have to take a look at if you don’t want this to happen again.
In this case, there is nothing you can do for your golden barrel, in fact you should get rid of it so the fungal disease doesn’t spread to any other plants you may have.
With all of that being said, If you do happen to catch the fungus issue early enough, you can just use some quality neem oil spray to get rid of this problem quickly.
Pests have also invaded the cactus
Another thing to watch out for when it comes to the golden barrel is pests.
Although this cactus has spines for protection, pests such as mealy bugs and aphids can still break through and cause damage to your plant.
If you notice the plant has become brown in certain areas and you know for sure it’s not a fungal problem or any other problem then it could be pests causing this issue.
The tell tale sign of this being the problem is if you see fuzzy white spots on your Golden barrel which indicates there are bugs on this plant, more specifically mealy bugs.
For this issue you will want to get a cotton swap and some rubbing alcohol to remove the bugs by hand and then keep an eye on the cactus for a while after.
You may even want to repot this succulent as an extra measure just in case these bugs have laid eggs so you don’t have to manually remove them over and over again.
Once again, like the Fungai issue, you can use some good neem oil to get rid of these pests as it actually works quite well and is super easy to use.
Rot has taken over the golden barrel
Another issue with overwatering a golden barrel cactus is that it will cause rot eventually.
This will cause the succulent to not be able to transfer water effectively and can cause the cactus to turn brown and soft all over the cactus.
Your cactus will also eventually die if action isn’t taken soon enough to preserve the good roots and rid of the bad ones.
So if you don’t want root rot affecting your golden barrel cactus then don’t over water or let water stand for long amounts of time and you won’t have to worry about this.
Sunburn
Like with most succulents, the golden barrel cactus can turn brown or develop brown spots if it gets constant sunburn.
It may only get small white discoloration if the sunburn is mild and in this case you can just move the cactus to a spot with shade or use some shade cloth to prevent further damage.
But if the sunburn has been too constant then you will for sure notice brown spots and this will be permanent to your cactus.
So if you have gotten to this point then you are out of luck but if you haven’t, you know what to do.
Also the same will go for freezing temperatures so if the temperature is looking extra chilly this year then make arrangements to bring this cactus indoors or use a good mini greenhouse.
Your Golden barrel is corking
Lastly, one reason why your golden barrel has turned brown could simply be due to the aging process which is called corking.
This means that your golden barrel cactus has lived long enough to want to support itself for even longer by turning brown starting at the base of the cactus and working it’s way up.
An easy way to tell if your golden barrel cactus is corking is just by feeling the brown area.
If the area is firm to the touch then that means the cactus is indeed corking and is not a concern for this plant.
Although it may be unsightly, there is no cause for concern or action to be taken in this case since this is completely normal and expected out of the cactus.