Hey all, geat site!! This plant was given to us from family in Tennessee. When they bought it they said it was really full and healthy looking. They have no idea what it is. They kept it in their garage through the winter and it ended up looking like this. It has "tentacles" that are growing from the ends of the leaves, and at the end of the "tentacles" are new leaves. The texture of the leaves is "rubbery". The "stalks" are rigid with smooth skin. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, John
This link will give you a good over view into Epiphyllum species. You should be aware there are now only 16 known species but almost 100 scientific names. Most of those scientific names have now found to be invalid and are simply synonym names of those 16 species. But there are also many, many hybrid variations out there created by man. In addition, there are many other similar species that are not truly Epiphyllum species. Virtually all live in the rain forests of Mexido, Central America and South America. These are all members of the cacti family and grow high in the rain forest canopy often on dead trees. In nature they prefer bright indirect light with a heavy period of rain for around 50% of the year. They will also survive nicely with a dry season but it does not appear they must have a completely dry season as is often stated by growers. They do not tolerate a freeze. These plants need a fast draining potting medium. In the forest they receive heavy rain for a good portion of the year but are often drier for a portion of the year as well. That does not mean they should be grown dry. Our specimen lives in an artificial rain forest which is watered daily in the summer for at least 10 minutes each day, often twice a day. It paroduces numerous blooms each week, all at night. The plant does not have leaves. Instead, it has structures known to science as cladodes. These long blades are designed to collect light and store water. Some actually have thorns while on others evidence of thorns is difficult to find. The flowers grow from the edge of the cladode at a joint. And in those areas there are glands that produce a sugary substance designed to attract ants which are the likely natural pollinator of the flowers. If pollinated the plant will produce seeds which are eaten by rain forest animals and distributed to other places in the droppings of the birds so they again start new plants high in the rain forest canopy. I have a friend who is a rain forest researcher/explorer in French Guiana and although he has seen many of these plants in the wild he has never seen one in bloom. Almost all the species in that country bloom at night high in the canopy where no man is likely to be at night. Here are two photos of one of our recent blooms. Ours in a night bloomer. http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Epiphyllum phyllanthus subsp. phyllanthus pc.html
