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The orchid cactus is a gorgeous group of tree - growingflowering cactus plants . TheEpiphyllum(the botanical name ) has broad , insipid , leaflike fore scallop on the edge , strung together by a woody midrib .
The Epiphyllum cactus are jewels . They are the proud owners of some of the largest , most unbelievable flowers in the whole works world .
orchid cactus bloom
The porcelain - petaled , dish aerial - size pool lily suffers by comparison .
Many citizenry run up anything number in the cactus group . They immediately think of spikelet and spine . But , the decorative , free - flowering orchid cactus has no prickle . It is easy to cultivate in the average domicile than the orchid .
Epiphyllum Orchid Cactus Not An Orchid At All
Although it is called the “ orchid cactus orchid cactus ” it is not an orchid but a cactus . Like an orchidaceous plant , the orchid cactus is an epiphyte . But not leechlike ! It sustains itself by engulf sustenance from the atmosphere or else of from the vegetation on which it fastens .
These are the most royal of string up plants , well-heeled to manage , and include a group of miniature or basket variety .
There is even a serial of compact , yet spare - bloom crossbreed for those with limited growing sphere indoors or out .
Epiphyllum Orchid Cactus Quick Care Tips
Orchid Cactus Care: Epiphyllum Care
Like the summer - blossom tuberous begonia , these are “ shade plant ” only in raging climates – where they can spend the summer near a protective north wall or in the mottled nicety from a tree diagram in a hang up basketful .
Otherwise , they postulate sunlight in fall , winter , and spring , and tad only when summer sun becomes scorch hot . The Epiphyllum bloom easily when temperatures outride near 65 ° degrees Fahrenheit , and when the melody is humid .
Misting or spray the bow , except when the plants are in bud or flower , both humidifies and cleans the farewell of clog rubble .
Repotting & Soils
The popular conception of acactus pot soil mixis not acceptable to grow orchid cactus .
At base in the tropic , these are Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - dwellers where their ascendant feed on disintegrate organic thing and are largely expose to the line .
If your plant is badly pot - attach move it to the next size of it stool or into hanging basket rather than to a much larger one .
A light , poriferous , hoummos - rich potting mixture that will hold some wet and yet will drain quick . The soil should be coarse , not finely sift ; slightly acid ; and for further aeration and purification , generously supplied with little scrap of crushed charcoal .
Nitrogen - robust fertilizers are not recommended .
These cactus orchid plants should not be overpotted , but slimly ancestor - bound . When repotting is called for – with matured plant , no more often than every 2nd twelvemonth – have the works , Modern pot and grease nearly dry .
Transplanting is usually done a month after flowering but do not transplant unless necessary .
Withhold water for three or four day after repotting , and water sparingly for the next three or four weeks .
Water & Feeding Requirements
In wintertime , when they rest , they necessitate just enough H2O to keep the stems from shrink .
The active grow time of year starts in former spring for most varieties .
The plants require constant wet in the zephyr and for the roots .
While growing they need water supply , good ventilation and protection from utmost heat and strong sun . Give the plants a slight drying off during quiescency but never let them become perfectly dry .
In February when growth start again , start with balmy but regular feeding of light liquified foliarcactus fertilizer solutionsevery two weeks during growth .
Early Bloomers
orchid cactus do not have leaves , but just stems or branches which consist of two - adjoin or triangular structures along which the flower look . The chief difference in assortment is the colour of bloom although the shape of branch and flower also variegate .
Epiphyllum plant flower while young , beginning in February and many plants keep flowering into July . After blooming they make their autumn increment and then become dormant .
Epiphyllums enjoy moist air and some sun . After the buds are fix the pots are well moved out of doors , if the weather is mild .
Experts tell us never to change conditions while the flower bud are forming . Many epiphyllum expend at least half their life in a lath sign of the zodiac or greenhouse .
In cold climates they should be treat to the conditions give the Christmas cactus – or to tender begonias and ferns . A large balance of the epiphyllum which were blasted by the January freeze pulled through .
Grown From Seeds or Cutting
Ephiphyllum cactus coinage are easy to produce from semen . All types can be circularise by long stem cuttings with a strong center shank – which are place aside for a workweek or ten day until the cut end is indurate over .
Insert the cuttings up to one in deep in coarse , dryish sand , in skilful Inner Light but not sun . When they are rooted and potted , hold back on water for several solar day .
Throughout the process , handle the cutting with maintenance ; bruises or broken spots on fore or new tooth root give fungus rot a manner to enter .
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Two Classes of Growth Habit
To me there seem to be two oecumenical classes of these unusual plants , key out by their increase habit … one being vertical and the other more rambling and necessitate financial backing .
Epiphyllum Ackermannii , I mystify old age ago with flattened fore ( often wrongly referred to as leaves ) are triangular in shape and quite ugly until suddenly a sizable scarlet , trumpet , pops from every roast … a substantial charge , to any plant fan .
The second course include the real photogenic prima donna . The fleshy stems – monotonous and scalloped along the edges ; the new growth is broadly reddish in colour .
The plant is sprawl in habit and requires support to keep it from taking up too much space .
flower , 6 inches or more in diameter , drooping and curved like a pipe ; flower petal are numerous , and in the centre is a blazing clump of stamens . heyday colors are indefinable shades of red ink and purple .
They resemble in figure the night - bloom genus Cereus ( Epiplyllum oxypetalum and cross ) but are usually larger , are 24-hour interval blossom and more lasting .
Cactus Varieties and Options
New varieties and hybrids of these field goal jewels are introduce each year .
There are literally one thousand of unlike orchidaceous plant cacti available from specialists – among them , many of the original whitened , Nox - flowering species .
The best know is probablyEpiphyllum oxypetalum , queen of the night , with graceful , long - tubed , chaste blanched blossom that scent a summertime evening . From this level on , genealogy is complicated .
Epiphyllums have been crossed with each other and with cacti in other genera to produce today ’s raceway of beautiful , day - flowering hybrids .
you may choose flower of many shape , in size up to ten in across , and all colors except lawful Amytal .
One specialiser ’s catalogue key out more than seventy - five varieties with livid or pale - yellow flowers . And then there are reds , pink , salmon , rose-cheeked - lavender , orange , amber , atomic number 29 , purpleness , orchid and many portmanteau word and combinations .
On some the center has acrown like a love flowerorclematis flowers ; on others it looks like an airy atomiser or fountain . Petals do in all form , sizes , and arrangements .
Also usable are cacti from several other genus – groups of species or hybrids – with similar growth , blossom , culture , and propagation :
Aporophyllum – ( rat - tail cactus)A mathematical group with round stems , some of which can drag to six feet , promising to lengthen the flowering season .
Chiapsia nelsoni – Thinner stems , and lilac - pink heyday in other bound .
Disapora – industrial plant with slender , ribbed stems and two - in carmine flowers of unusual form .
Disophyllum – raw loanblend with tube-shaped , vivid purplish - red flowers and hang three - foot stems .
Other popular sort include :
kin : CactaceaeCommon Name : Orchid Cactus Epiphyllum
