I recently received a plant from a friend. He insisted that the plant was called a desert orchid, but I have yet to find anything online to corroborate that. It came to me as a single leaf/phyloclade rooted in water. It is about 12'' long. I have attached a photo of it... any idea what it's latin name is? Thanks, Chris
Yes---yet another misleading common name. And why "orchid", anyway? Doesn't resemble one. Perhaps meant as a compliment.
"Orchid" in this case could have come from orchid cactus. Or maybe it was called an orchid independently from the use of orchid cactus but for similar reasons. A common type frequently asked about is gooseneck cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum). It produces tall growths periodically adorned with solitary, white, nocturnal flowers with long curving tubes (goosenecks). Another one rather often seen as an indoor specimen is the reddish-flowered Nopalxochia ackermannii (Epiphyllum a.). But other species and a large assortment of garden hybrids are also grown by enthusiasts.
I like the dramatic lighting in this photo, and the title of this post. "Dessert Orchid" sounds luscious---just the thing for New Year's Eve! Happy, healthy new year to all of you---and to your plants! Peace out.
