The Orchid Cactus

Blooming Epiphyllum
Another in the "Photos I Grew Myself" series!This plant is the reason I moved out of my previous home. The vertical bars in the photo are part of the railing on the patio of our old apartment. At the time of this photo this cactus had over sixty blossoms, each about three inches in diameter. Only a small part of the plant is actually in the picture. Our neighbors complemented us all the time on our plants.
Why did I have to move? The management of the property thought that the plants were a little disorderly hanging through the bars like this. So they wanted us to trim this one in particular.
Now we live in a much nicer place where my plants have a lot more room, and I was able to get a Basset Hound!
I have always loved Cacti, and this has got to be one of my favorite types. I have several of them, but this one is by far the happiest. I got it as a small start at the Santa Barbara Farmers' Market.
This Cactus is known as The Orchid Cactus, but the similarities between this beauty and the tropical flowers go much deeper than just the impressive blossoms. These Cacti are indigenous to the jungles of South and Central America where they live in the tree tops. Just like most orchids, they depend upon their host plant for access to the jungle canopy so they can reach sunlight, but they are not parasites. Their nutrition comes from decaying vegetation and other things trapped in the pockets of the trees where they live. This type of plant is called an epiphyte, as opposed to a parasite which draws nutrition directly from it's host. Orchids and Bromeliads are the most recognizable members of this group, but it includes a vast array of plants from ferns to mosses, and lichens.
Update...
This plant is a "day bloomer" hybrid, whose blooms last for several days. Most naturally occurring Epiphyllum species bloom only in the evening creating enormous fragrant white blossoms that only last for one night. I guess you have to do this when your "bee" is as big as a bird, only comes out at night, and is as blind as... well... a bat. Which, incidentally, is exactly what pollinates these plants in the wild, along with the occasional large moth.
- Ecology.org.
Information on may different types of Epiphyllum. - The San Diego Epiphyllum Society.
Care and feeding of a wonderful plant.
Browse related images by keyword:
cactus 23 | cactus blossom 20 | Disocactus ackermanii 2 | Epiphyllum 15 | farmers' market 11 | flower 315 | Jungle Cactus 15 | Orchid Cactus 15 | Photos I Grew Myself 47
cactus 23 | cactus blossom 20 | Disocactus ackermanii 2 | Epiphyllum 15 | farmers' market 11 | flower 315 | Jungle Cactus 15 | Orchid Cactus 15 | Photos I Grew Myself 47
Feedback for The Orchid Cactus:
| Ken Matthews | June 21, 2006 2:17 pm |
| sick plant | |
| I got my orchid cactus a couple of years ago and I'm don't seem to know how to do much more than keep it alive. Your plant is doing very well. What's your secret. | |
| Bill Heller | June 22, 2006 2:54 am |
| RE: sick plant | |
| Hi Ken Sorry to hear your cactus is not doing well. What does it look like? Does it have only a few pads? Are they long and spindly? Are the surface of the pads wrinkled, dry or woody? How dark is the soil? Does it ever bloom? Where is it located (sun, inside, etc)? The main things I have noticed is you can not really treat them like normal cacti (for that matter normal cacti do not usually like being treated like most peoples' impression of them either). These guys are jungle plants, they live in trees and have almost no soil (just like an orchid), but they get nutrients from roting vegetation in the pockets of tree branches. So very rich, shady growing conditions. Mine like lots of water but decent drainage and are pretty happy in the shade. Although this particular one is still in full sun, it's pads have turned almost red, which is a hint that he is getting more sun than needed. It can take it, because it is well established, but I still try to keep an eye on it. I have about seven of them now and most are in the shade, two are even hanging from our patio umbrella. I would say they would be happiest in rich dark soil with good drainage, although most of mine are in the soil they came in. The only things that seem to make mine mad are keeping them inside, and not watering them enough. (Of course you must realize I live in zone 10, if you don't have good drainage, or it is not as hot you can easily over water them.) -Bill Heller |
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