Holy cow! What a spectacular plant! Maybe a variety of Epiphyllum...perhaps E. anguliger, zig zag cactus. Has it ever bloomed for you? Welcome to the Forum, martha!
Yeah, that looks just like it. Thank you! I've had it for about 9 months (kept indoors) and it has never bloomed. Any suggestions on how to make it bloom?
It appears to be Epiphyllum anguliger from Mexico. The plant is an epiphyte and normally grows on the branches of trees. It needs fast draining soil and the roots should not stay soaking wet. Many growers us a sand based mix such as as cactus potting mix.
I have had mine a few years now which is a little smaller then yours, no flower yet either. I have read they can be stubborn when it comes to flowering, especially if they are indoors. Also, that they should be put outdoors for more light in "early spring" which helps them set buds at that time. They flower in late spring, early summer. Something we both might want to try next year.
i have this one, too. very different plant!! i had no idea when they bloomed - good to know as well as the 'needs more light' bit, too! thanks, bluewing!!
Still have saved on my "Favorites" list a posting from jason17, July 21,2008, in the Indoor Plants Identification forum. Entitled (appropriately enough!) "Help with plant identification", this posting has a photo of a SUPERB purple epiphyllum bloom. Oooooh!!!!! Words cannot express.
Photopro I know what you mean when you said ; The plant is an epiphyte and normally grows on the branches of trees. Here is an example of another one a type of Agave in the Yucatan jungle near Coba. Nath
Joclyn, I wonder if the cool springtime air plays a roll, along with more light in getting this epiphyllum to bud, kinda like the christmas cactus in the fall, with cool temps, only less light. togata, Oh yes, I remember that gorgeous purple flower your talking about! Simply Beautiful!
blue, yes, definitely the cooler air at night, with the increasingly warmer days and increase of sunlight is what triggers the setting of buds for most epiphyllum. some, like the christmas cactus, need the decrease in light and the cooling down of the daytime temps to cause buds to set. nature has really provided quite well for flowers, and their nectar, to be available virtually continuously during the growing season. it's really quite amazing when you think about it. and how everything is tied to something else - and affected when that something else isn't around any longer. wish we could get this point across to those that insist on tearing down all the forests! now, on to the REALLY important thing. purple flowers ;). i don't remember this flower, or post, that you're referring to, togata. i'd have put it in my 'subscribed to' list. i don't see anything there that was started by jason17, so i guess i missed it completely. or i just don't remember it and i find that hard to believe. could you post a link to it? i MUST see this flower!! sounds absolutely heavenly :sillygrin:
In Epiphyllum sp. the trigger is more moisture. In Schlumbergera subgenus Zygocactus one of the triggers may be cooler temperatures but the slightly shorter days are more important. Don't forget the temperatures in Brazil where the genus is common varies very little. Zygocactus species often live in southeastern Brazil where there is some change in both temperature and length of day but not a great deal. In North America we assume the trigger is temperature since we have strong swings in our temperatures. My very large Epiphyllum phylanthus subspecies phylantus begins to produce inflorescences wildly from mid May to mid July when the temperatures rise and I turn the overhead misting system on to water every single day. Epiphyllum are more common in Central America as well as the northern portions of South America including French Guiana. French Guiana is almost on the Equator where the temperatures vary little but the rains vary a great deal. http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Epiphyllum phyllanthus subsp. phyllanthus pc.html
Although Zygocactus are not among the plants I normally research I do have a short page on my website. This is a quote: Commonly called Zygocactus, or more commonly Christmas Cactus, the species in this small tropical cacti genus are found naturally in the southern portions of Brazil. Collectors assume the species bloom during winter as a result of cooler temperatures which is incorrect. Zygocactus species respond to shorter daylight durations and are triggered to bloom as the daylight hours shorten. However, in the south American rain forest both summer and winter days are relatively of equal length due to their position near the equator. Thus it is possible for a home collector to trigger blooming by controlling the amount of light offered the specimen. The cacti gain their common name as a result of the season of the year in which they typically bloom which is roughly late November through December in the northern hemispheres. In Brazil they bloom during the South American winter which corresponds with North America's summer. When I was researching this page over two years ago I turned to Harry Luther who is a specialist at the Marie Selby Botanical Garden in Sarasota, Florida. This information came from Harry. The page is not much but if you'd like to read it all it can be seen here: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/zygocactus.html The point Harry made clearly is anyone can induce a Christmas Cactus to bloom almost any time of the year by limiting the amount of light the plant can "see". Try it sometime. By the way, none of this has anything to do with Epiphyllum anguliger which is what started this thread. That plant will produce inflorescences as a result of increased rain, at least in nature. But it must be sexually mature before anything happens.
as always, very informative! thanks, steve!! i just love the way you present info - you make it so easy to understand!! do you have a page for e. anguliger on your site?
Thanks Joclyn. I used to write things that were so over anyone's head people would think I was nuts. I've done my best to keep it simple and hope I can keep making things clear. I've tried putting Zygocactus in darkened rooms and sure enough you can make them bloom almost anytime! As my little "thingy" says under my name, "listen to Mother Nature". She really does know best!
Hi Steve, I've been curious, did the Schlumbergera x. buckleyi cuttings ever root got you? I know they were on the small side.....
Definitely works because I once got my white xmas cactus to bloom in July by giving it 12 hours of light, then 12 hours of darkness daily. Buds appeared within a couple of weeks! : O
Bluewing, I was just looking at tha specimen a few days ago! The tag was lost and I couldn't figure out where t came from.........so thanks for reminding me. The plant is healthy but the growth has been slow. The specimens I have of that type that hang up near the ceiling grow quite fast while the smaller ones on the wall don't. It's late in the season now to hang it but in the spring I'll have it put up there to see if we can speed up the growth. Thanks again for the plant and thanks for the info so I can make a new tag!
Hey Steve, Glad I could help:) I'm also glad your were able to root them ok. What kind of medium did you use? In all the years owning this plant, I never thought it was a fast grower, more, slow consistent. I'd love to see a photo of it someday when it grows larger!
I only have 6 or 7 specimens that would be considered rain forest cacti since most of my 300 plus specimens are aroids. All of them are planted in a sand based soil mix that contains a great deal of epiphytic material that simulates the way they grow naturally. The mix contains approximately 40% sand with the balance including some moisture control soil mix and peat with LOTS of orchid bark, Perlite, charcoal and some compost. In nature these plants have their roots attached to a tree branch but collect falling debris around their base. The debris is mostly dead leaves which decompose and then hold moisture for the plant. That decomposing matter provides fertilizer to the plant. Outside the rainy season the plants rely on the high humidity of the forest to keep the compost dampened so my goal is to give them the same type of "compost" they would produce naturally on their own. My large Epiphyllum phylanthus was begun in 1998 with three very small cuttings potted in a hanging basket filled with this mix. Today it has a number of cladodes (what most people would call "leaves") hanging (or climbing) 7 feet or more. There are also three very long stolons plus another that is climbing with new plants forming at the ends. The one that climbs is touching the ceiling 6 feet above the plant. In the forest these stolons either climb up wards to attach to a higher branch or hang out or downward until they find a new branch to host another plant. The plant is hanging in a large wire basket at the 12 foot level in moderately bright light and two cladodes touch the ground with another on the way to the ground! So it loves the mix! I'm hoping the plant you sent will do the same but all the Zygocactus appear to grow slowly. There is one plant locally (that the owner almost never waters) that has cladodes three feet long but the lady has been growing it for 20 years! In time we shall see what happens! Thanks again!
