Hello, I'm new here and need some help with this plant. This is a picking thats about 2-3 months old from a plant that my grandmother had. I had always been told that this was a pencil cactus, well after searching the internet, it doesn't look at all like a pencil cactus. Hopefully someone here can assist me in finding out what this baby truly is. No one around here can give me any help and I looked everywhere to no avail. So thanks to all for help. Devon
a picture of the parent would be better. most cacti seedlings and/or offsets can look very similar so it's hard to make an id.
Here is a pic of a larger picking that we got. This is about the best I can do right now. Thanks again! My aunt has the momma plant. It is potted and has been for at least 25+ years, I'd say it's not over 1-2 ft tall.
can you have your aunt send you a pic of the parent plant? without that, it's just guessing... (until what you have gets a little older, that is). could be a rhipsalis or the like. the last pic seriously looks like rhipsalis - maybe mousetail (i think that's the right 'common' name). or it could etoliated (not enough light) and growing in a warped manner. if the normal growth pattern IS that segmented manner, then it's rhipsalis or possibly epiphyllum (which was my first thought at seeing the first two pics). if aunt can't send you a pic of hers, could you describe the growth pattern of it? does it grow up and stay 'tall' or does it flop over and trail out of the planter? is the normal growth pattern segments or solid column? does it make offshoots or did you get these as 'tip' cuttings? color of blooms and time of year they show up? are spines soft (don't stick you too hard) or are they really stiff? what kind of sunlight does it get - as in, bright light to full sun or does it do best in indirect light/shade conditions?
Rhipsalis horrida (mousetail cactus) it is!! Joclyn, you were a great help!! I searched the names you gave me and when I saw a pic of it I knew right away that you nail it right on the head!! Thanks for being soo helpful to a guy that really doesn't know much about the plant world, but I'm learning :)
you're quite welcome for the assist with the id!!! you're not the only one still learning...we ALL are still learning - i'm wrong just about as often as i'm right. glad i was right this time :)
No, its not Rhipsalis horrida. That species does not have angled stems. Looks like badly etiolated Selenicereus (Deamia) testudo, commonly called the "Dog Tail Cactus". It was popular as a hanging basket plant a few years back but the stems become badly etiolated if grown in poor light. Typically seen grown in the juvenile form.
I've contacted my aunt, she is going to try and send me a pic of the mother plant. I looked at pics of the dogtail and from my memory, the dogtail just doesn't look like it. These 2 that I have are sitting on my backporch, they get lots of indirect sunlight, they seem to be doing very well there also. So until I can get the pic of "momma", I'm sticking with the idea that I have a mousetail. Thanks Steve, hopefully I'll have a picture later today or tomorrow.
Lots of indirect light isn't enough. The plant needs good light to grow well. Grown in good light, the new stems become much more broadly winged and the spines will become shorter and sharper instead of bristly and hair-like. I've seen more than my fair share of badly grown Selenicereus testudo to know it when I see it. It is an indicator plant for when there is not enough light because it quickly forms etiolated stringy growth when the light is too weak. The species is polymorphic and goes through extreme changes in stem form as it reaches maturity. Many of the pictures on the internet show the adult flowering stems, which look very different from the juvenile form commonly sold in hanging baskets and the abnormal etiolated form. Here is a link to a picture showing the juvenile form of Selenicereus testudo in a hanging basket. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/112166/ It is very unlikely that your plant is Rhipsalis horrida because that plant has never been as widely available and it is highly unlikely that your aunt could have gotten it. Selenicereus testudo has been readily obtainable in supermarkets and various other stores for years, even though often sold without a name. Rhipsalis horrida is a neotenic form of Rhipsalis baccifera but that's another story altogether.
Talked to my aunt and she is going to snail mail me a picture, she dont know how to email it. When I get that pic, I'll post it. I'm not going to question you Steve, you're FAR more educated than I am on this subject. I just know that I'm now 35 and the parent plant has been in our family since I was a small child. The only thing I'm sure of is that it isn't a pencil cactus like my grandmother had always called it. So in a few days I'll have a pic to post and maybe that will help make things a clearer to us. I was working off my memory and Lord knows that my memory isn't the best. Thanks again
since these are babies, they're not going to quite have the same look as the parent plant until they grow a bit. so, it is a matter of taking a guess...the third pic you posted - which is of a piece that's got more growth than the first two, shows how the plant changes as it matures and is looking more like the parent plant. the first two pics could be of just about anything...too small and at that stage, most things look too much alike to make a good id. i'm glad aunt was able to send you a pic - when you post it, we'll be able to id it for sure. although, YOU know what it looks like and if the horrida pics you saw when you did your searches matches what your aunt has, having us see the pic too isn't going to change things much :)
Those are not "babies". They are cuttings taken from etiolated abnormal stems. If the plants are grown in strong light, the stems should produce new growth with more prominent ribs and eventually adult branches. Some of the pix seen on the internet IDed as Rhipsalis horrida look more like juvenile Selenicereus testudo wth angled stems. So much for relying on the internet as one's primary source of info. Its not at all reliable. The real Rhipsalis baccifera ssp. horrida has cylindrical stems.
sure look like 'babies' to me. as in 'new' and/or 'undeveloped'. as i originally said, seeing a pic of the parent plant would be needed to make a positive id - due to the small nature of these pieces and the fact that at this point in their growth they could be any variety of things. since the original poster KNOWS what the parent plant looks like, and believes that one of the suggestions mentioned is what the plant is, i'm betting that the 'mousetail' id is spot on...we'll know for sure once we see the pic of the parent plant.
Shirley you jest. :-) Anthropomorphizing plants does not help in understanding them. Why do you insist on being so contrary? Why don't you just admit that you have no idea what the plant is instead of trying to second guess and insist that the other preson must be wrong? Do you have any first hand experience with growing Selenicereus testudo or would you recognize it if you saw it among other plants without a label in the pot? Are you familiar with its various growth forms? Have you ever seen the real Rhipsalis baccifera ssp. horrida? I grown it, seen it, and have seen far too many badly grown plants of Selenicereus testudo in various "indoor plantscaping" locations to have any doubt as to what it looks like when well grown or grown under the worst of conditions. There is no confusing even badly grown Selenicerus testudo with Rhipsalis baccifera ssp. horrida unless one has never actually seen the two. What other plants do you now think it could be? It certainly isn't an Epiphyllum or Hylocereus.
my dear steve, i didn't give any positive id. i clearly stated it was impossible to do so due to the small size of the plant and the fact that many species have similar growth pattern when they are very small. i gave suggestions. the poster took the suggestions; did some searching and came up with an id - based on their knowledge of what the parent plant looks like. i'm not the one who is being contrary...you're very well experienced at acting like that and regularly make posts here disagreeing with others as well as putting them down. it's time to shush-up now. once the pic of the parent plant is posted, we'll find out exactly it is.
Thanks for the rock solid ID, Steve. I had that plant years ago and was never sure what it was other than the most tender cactus I ever owned. I have added it to my want list. I am more partial to epi cactus than any other.
Hi. I got 2 pots of these things growing. 3 ribs. Stiff hair like spines. Airial roots breaking out all over the place. I started mine from a cutting I got from a rotting peice of hylocerues. It is often used as a host in grafts. Indeed, the rotting piece of hylocereus was the bottom "part" of a grafted gynocalicium. I only recently found that the hylocereus is often grouped with selenicereus. It might help you to narrow down an ID if you include hylocereus in your search parameters. Wazungy
Well, I am just having a hoot reading these threads on what was turning out to be a rather dull morning...having said that, does anyone else agree (hands over head cowering here) with the notion that the segments are overpotted in those pots? That's what is concerning me about the photos, along with the aforementioned fact that they do not look vibrant...
chester!! you're a brave fella, aren'tcha? ;) VERY good points! /clap /clap yes!! they are overpotted and they do look like they could use a bit more sun. i was waiting to comment on both items (as well as soil type and container) until the pic of the parent plant was posted. whether it's a jungle cactus or a desert cactus, they all basically need the same care & conditions...there ARE a few that are the exception to the rule, though, and i'd rather wait to be sure about id before going into care details. *runs over to chester to get behind him for protection*
OK I finally got a pic from my aunt. The picture is a bit small but that is all she sent me. I agree that they have not been grown in perfect conditions, but I nor my aunt are "professional" plant growers. My 2 small ones get about 5 hrs of direct sunlight each day, the rest of the time is spent in the shade. The largest of my 2 was put into that pot you see about 2 days before the picture was taken. The smallest 1 I have is doing very well (IMO). About 1 month ago it was a single strand that I'd placed in that pot. It is getting fatter each day, I honestly can tell each day when I get home that is has grown. So maybe we can figure out exactly what it is now. Thanks to everyone who has given an opinion, Looking forward to see what is said now. If we can nail down what this is, I'd love some advice on how to properly grow this thing. Also my aunt did tell me that she has never seen any sort of bloom, flower, or pod on it. This may be due to the fact that it hasn't been grown in ideal conditions, It has managed to live a might long time though. It does however look slightly different than what my memory told me :) Thanks again, Devon
definitely a rhipsalis. not 'mousetail' i don't think...some of the pics that show up on google look similar and are marked as 'mousetail' yet i've seen them on other sites marked as 'dogtail' or even another type of rhipsalis. is it the 'dogtail' one? not sure. it does look like it - it also looks like a couple other types of rhipsalis as well. one thing for sure is that it's not in the best growing conditions...your aunt's plant is long over due for repotting!! and it could use of more light!! since her plant isn't exhibiting normal growth, it's hard to give a positive id. and i won't give a positive id unless i'm sure of it. and i'm not in this case. even with the pic of the parent plant. i think the best thing to do is to get the cuttings you have into the best conditions possible and let it grow for a bit and then post updated pics of it (say in 4-6 or 9 months). rhipsalis do best in a VERY well draining soil that retains moisture yet doensn't stay soggy. a mix of orchid medium (with charcoal), some regular plain potting soil, a small bit of compost or cured manure and some aquarium soil or perlite for some extra airation/drainage. container should have drainage holes at the bottom. two-inch post are more than large enough for your cuttings - anything larger and you risk the soil remaining too wet and then you'll end up with rot. water thoroughly and water again when the soil medium is still a bit moist - letting it dry out completely won't be good. should get bright indirect light for most of the day and some direct sunlight in the morning for a couple hours will be fine - so a southern exposure would be best. western works although you'll need to keep it shaded during the hottest part of the afternoon, so if you have that exposure, i'd just place it to the northern side of the window so that it's not in direct sun in the late afternoon.
