Thursday, May 25, 2006

 

Orchid Cactus


Epiphyllums, or Orchid Cacti, are an epiphytic jungle cactus with huge, beautiful, and occasionally nicely scented flowers.

I grow about twelve varieties, the survivors of about two dozen that I picked up for cheap many years ago.

Epis have this problem - they are very easy to propagate by cuttings, and the cuttings can be left to sit for a week or more before being planted and turn out absolutely fine. They also easily form seedpods. These qualities lead to massive indescriminate breeding and collecting of hundreds of varieties, many of which are virtually the same. The epi collector can easily amass a huge collection for not a lot of money.

They are admittedly pretty... and I can grow them outdoors in a sheltered spot ( in this case, a under a north-facing eve ) without too much death from our cold and wet winters.

# posted by Albert Huntington @ Thursday, May 25, 2006
Comments:
Just lovely! Who can resist an epiphytic cactus?
# posted by Anonymous Dawn Hill : 5/25/2006 7:47 PM
 
A friend gave me just one cutting and now I'm a goner. I want more.

That pink variety is gorgeous!
# posted by Blogger Angela : 5/25/2006 8:09 PM
 
Oops, sorry. Here's the link: just one cutting
# posted by Blogger Angela : 5/25/2006 8:12 PM
 
The Orchid Cacti looks to be very nice. I started growing a few Orchids this year and have had some sucess. I have heard how hard it is to keep them growing but just water them once a week and they do well
butch
Hobby Greenhouse
# posted by Blogger butch : 12/05/2006 9:53 AM
 
I've had an orchid cactus about a year, and it's done ok except it has many more long, very thin, pencil like (actually, snap-grass looking) "tentacles" than it does leafy stems, an extreme abundance. What am I missing?
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 12/13/2006 2:58 PM
 
Hi Albert,
I just found out the name of this unusual flower recently. My mother has a small succulent plants collection and the cactus orchid was one of them. But this last winter freeze killed them all! I was looking forward to a cutting of my own this year. Would you consider a plant trade with me? I have this unique plant named "Euphorbia Milli". It is also called - Crown of Thorns or Siam Lucky Plant. They have thorns and little red flowers that come in pairs. I have about 2 cuttings that already have little red buds on them. Please let me know! Thanks.
# posted by Blogger sadie : 4/03/2007 3:58 AM
 
I have an orchid cactus that was given to me about 10 years ago. It blooms on the full moon during each of the months of summer. It actually survived hurricane Katrina here in New Orleans, after which it gave a most unusual multiple blooming in October of 2005. It has continued ever since to give multiple blooms at a time, and it is beginning to get off the cycle of full moons, but continues on a 4-week cycle in the summer.
Dr G
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 9/20/2007 8:06 PM
 
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