Epiphyllum

Epiphyllum is a fairly popular plant that is widely known throughout the world. It is quite beautiful and unusual, which is why it is incredibly often found in pots on balconies, shelves and tables. Of course, the epiphyllum flower, although it is rather unpretentious in comparison with many of its relatives, requires a certain approach to itself, and if the rules that it puts forward are observed, then the epiphyllum will definitely reward you with a beautiful flowering.

Epiphyllum: plant description

Epiphyllum: photo of a flower

The Epiphyllum flower belongs to a very large family called cactaceae, which in turn is part of the largest branch of plants called succulents. If you want to meet Epiphyllum in the wild, then you have to go a long way, because it is found exclusively in South America. Most often it is found in hot regions of Mexico. However, unfortunately, botanists and breeders have not yet fully disclosed the question of the origin of this kind of plants.

According to the latest data, we may even doubt that it belongs to phyllocactus. What are phyllocactus? Phyllocactus are members of the cactus family that have leaf blades. And if you look at the epiphyllum, it might seem that there is no doubt that it is part of this subfamily.

Nevertheless, according to the latest research, the whole idea of ​​scientists may be turned upside down. However, most flower growers who do not engage in their hobby, as a real science, most likely will not be interested in the complex nuances of the classification of this plant, and therefore we will quickly move on to another topic.

The epiphyllum flower has a huge number of species and varieties, which, unfortunately, is not an easy task to calculate, since completely different values ​​can be obtained from various sources. Nevertheless, if we try to give the arithmetic mean, we get a number between thirty and forty, which is a pretty impressive result.

However, there are even more hybrid varieties of epiphyllum with unusual properties, and it really becomes a serious problem to count them, and therefore, if you are afraid of difficult choices, believe me, when buying an epiphyllum, you have something to worry about.

However, don't panic. At the end of this article, the best species and varieties of this plant are given, and therefore even those growers who begin to get lost even when choosing from ten species will definitely be able to find something to their liking.

As for the history of this flower, the first documented data about it date back to 1812, when the respected botanist and breeder Adrian Haworth wrote a detailed description of it. By the way, it was he who gave this plant its name.

If we translate it from Greek, we will find that at that time people had a rather poor idea of ​​cactus, because epi means from above, and phylum means leaf. With this name, Adrian Haworth wanted to denote the fact that the peduncles of this plant grew directly on the leaves, which, of course, is not at all true, but what the scientist took for leaf plates are simply modified stems.

Speaking about these very stems, it should be noted that they and rights are similar to leaf plates, which are found in many cacti growing in Mexico. They have jagged edges and needles on their surface.

Nevertheless, the epiphyllum still has leaflets, which, however, are rather difficult to find. They are formed directly under the shoots and halos, and therefore are not very noticeable. In addition, they can be confused with ordinary tissue scales that have come off the stem.

A much more attractive and noticeable part of the plant, of course, are the flowers, which have an incredibly attractive delicate aroma and stunning coloring. Perhaps, to some extent, they can be compared with the buds of a water lily, especially in shape, however, although they are much smaller than lilies, they are much bulkier and more magnificent than them.

By the way, about the amazing coloring: it can be completely different and the color of the buds you bloom depends solely on what kind and variety you grow. For example, there are both bright pink and creamy yellow flowers. You can also find red and white specimens.

Nevertheless, you, unfortunately, will never meet representatives of this genus with blue or blue flowers. By the way, despite the obvious visual similarity with the water lily, this cactus got the name, with another plant, which, however, is also incredibly similar. This plant is an orchid, and the name given to the epiphyllum by the people, respectively, is a cactus-orchid.

Of course, where there are flowers, there are fruits, and the epiphyllum, of course, has them. Nevertheless, in order for the flowers to turn into them, the plant must be very well pollinated, which, as you understand, is completely impossible in a house or apartment, and therefore the likelihood that fruits will ever develop on your cactus is extremely extremely small.

However, we will still tell you about the fruits of the epiphyllum, since they are quite interesting and unusual. In size, they can be compared with a rather weighty plum, and on their surface, as well as on the surface of the modified stems, you can find small thorns. The color of these small fruits of the epiphyllum is most often dark green, however, depending on the degree of maturity, it can change to purple, making the epiphyllum fruit even more like a prickly plum.

Unlike the fruits of a huge variety of house plants, these are edible and some argue that they are very tasty and somewhat similar to pineapples.

Epiphyllum plant: home care

Epiphyllum: photo of a flower

Of course, since the epiphyllum cactus is a member of the cactaceous family, you probably expect it to be quite simple and easy to care for. And you, in general, are right, but one cannot exclude the fact that the epiphyllum, like any other plant, has a huge number of small nuances in care, which every florist who wants to grow this plant should know.

Therefore, we will try to reveal to you all the secrets of the epiphyllum cactus so that you do not have any problems getting the largest and most lush flowers from it.

Lighting

Epiphyllum is very similar to most houseplants in terms of sunlight requirements, whether they are cacti or not. Of course, he needs a lot of light, and therefore a pot with this flower should stand either on the windowsill, or very close to it.

However, a lot of light is far from the same as a lot of bright light. The fact is that if direct sunlight falls on the epiphyllum, this can have a very bad effect on its tissues and, most likely, cause serious sunburn.

Therefore, placing this flower at home, you must provide it with accommodation either on the west or on the east window. The southern one will not work for the reason indicated above: during almost the entire sunny day, too much sunlight will fall on the cactus. Well, and on the north window, the flower will simply wither away, since there will be a critical lack of light there.

By the way, if you want to make the life of the epiphyllum cactus the healthiest, then in the summer, when the weather conditions are most similar to those in which the epiphyllum grows in its natural habitat, it can be taken outside. This will definitely have a good effect on the plant, but here you need to try even more not to expose it to direct rays, because in open areas they are even more dangerous and deadly.

Temperature

Speaking about the temperature regime in which the epiphyllum should be contained, it should be noted that it completely depends on what time of year it is. For example, if we are talking about spring or summer, namely, when all return frosts are left behind and the weather has "settled down", the ideal temperature for the epiphyllum is room temperature, and therefore it will definitely not feel any discomfort.

However, there are times when it can be harmful to the plant. This case is autumn, when the epiphyllum begins a period of rest and needs to be provided with peace and coolness. At this time, a cold basement is perfect for preserving the cactus, where the temperature does not rise above fifteen degrees.

However, this same period of dormancy lasts, of course, far from throughout the entire autumn, but only from the beginning of November and as much as February. Nevertheless, these dates are exclusively indicative, and therefore if it is still too cold in your rooms in February, it is better to temporarily refrain from returning the flower to its homeland.

Humidity

Do not forget that the homeland of this cactus, like a huge number of representatives of this genus, is the hot empty Mexico, where rains are as rare and unusual as the northern lights in our country, and therefore they are perfectly adapted to the long absence of moisture in the air.

Nevertheless, natural conditions and ideal conditions are far from identical concepts, and therefore, if it becomes too hot in your room, it is still better to spray the cactus from a spray bottle or wipe it with a slightly damp cloth or sponge.

However, the water for spraying must also have certain properties, namely, softness and neutrality, because otherwise it can, albeit insignificantly, but still damage the integument of the plant.

How to water epiphyllum

Epiphyllum will definitely thank you and will thank you with very lush flowering if you water it regularly and abundantly. This is especially true for the hot parts of the year, which include spring and summer.

However, abundantly and regularly are very loose concepts, and therefore, to make your watering perfect, we suggest that you do the following: Water the flower as soon as the top layers of the soil are a little dry.

At the same time, it is important to understand that they should dry out only a little, since if there is no hint of moisture in the upper layers, then in the lower roots the plants are already beginning to dry out. As for abundance, here you can rely on your intuition. As soon as it seems to you that the soil is well moistened and there is enough water, you can stop watering.

As in the case of moisturizing the epiphyllum cactus, the water must be very soft and settled. It will also be very helpful if you use the collected rainwater.

A completely different question is watering the epiphyllum during the dormant period, which, as we said, begins in November and ends around February. During this time, watering should not be less frequent or less abundant. Or it shouldn't be at all.

However, this only applies to those cases when you send the plant to winter in a cool place. If it continues to grow in your room, then watering remains, but it becomes very rare. The normal mode of watering the epiphyllum is resumed not abruptly, but gradually.

It should start in February: that's when, regardless of the weather, you should start gradually increasing the amount of water and reducing the time between treatments.Within a month and a half, watering should be as abundant as during a hot summer.

How to fertilize epiphyllum flower

Feeding the epiphyllum flower will be incredibly useful for him, and therefore, if you want to see on your window not just a cactus, but a lush cactus, you should take care of fertilizers for it.

During spring-summer, fertilizing, like any other procedure, is carried out much more often, and therefore you should make sure that fertilizers are introduced into the soil at least once every two weeks.

If you have a question about which fertilizer to use, then the answer to it is quite simple: before the flowering of the epiphyllum, it is better to use mineral complexes with the obligatory nitrogen content, but after the beginning of the flowering of the epiphyllum, it is better to use all kinds of organic matter, including mullein, diluted in water ...

By the way, if a flower has faded, this is not at all a reason to stop fertilizing it. Yes, this may seem strange, but it will significantly increase the chances of the same successful flowering of the epicillum in the next season, as well as provide the epiphyllum with good winter survival.

Which potting soil to use

When talking about potting mix, of course, there is always controversy. Some believe that you need to make it exclusively yourself, and everything purchased is just a useless fake. Others think that breeding your own soil mixture is a stupid waste of time.

We will not adjoin any of these sides, but we will tell you which fertilizer each of them can choose.

As for the adherents of commercial fertilizers, then you should get something very fertile and rich in minerals. It will also be extremely useful if the soil contains substances such as sand, sod or peat. However, a universal soil base is also fine, albeit a little less effective.

If you want to dilute the soil for the epiphyllum yourself, then for this you will need the following ingredients: leaf and sod land, crushed coal (of course, wood) and sand. All this is mixed in the following ratio: four to one to one to one, respectively.

You can also add peat to the composition in the same proportion as sand. However, during the entire process, you need to ensure that your ingredients are not too acidic, since in this case there is a very high chance that the "ideal" soil mixture you prepare will be simply destructive.

How to transplant epiphyllum

Epiphyllum plant: flower photo

This procedure is not regular for the epiphyllum plant, and it is carried out only if necessary. For example, if a pot is cracked or if you want to propagate a cactus, but we will talk about this later. Also, the reason for transplanting the epiphyllum may be the desire to make the plant part of the flower arrangement.

As for the tightness, then there is absolutely no need to worry about this. The epiphyllum does not suffer from this at all, and even if you see a root sticking out of the ground, this is not a reason to sound the alarm and carry out an urgent epiphyllum transplant.

Nevertheless, there are certain periods when it is strictly forbidden to transplant the epiphyllum: these are periods of bud ripening and flowering itself. The fact is that by transplanting a plant that is in one of these stages of the growing season, you are likely to disrupt internal processes and deprive yourself of flowers this year.

As for the choice of a new pot, it should only be slightly larger than the previous one. The fact is that the plant should not feel too free, since in this case too many of its resources will be spent on the formation of new shoots and roots, and on the contrary, not enough for growing beautiful buds.

By the way, it also follows from this that the pot should in no case be fragile and brittle, since its root system will constantly press on its walls and the chance that the flower will damage its own home is very high.

Features of the flowering of the home flower of the epiphyllum

When winter comes to an end and the epiphyllum comes out of dormancy, it begins to grow incredibly quickly and actively. It was at this time that future buds and, accordingly, buds are formed on its areoles. At this time, the most important thing that needs to be provided to the flower is not humidity or even lighting, but stability.

It must definitely stay in one place and move it is very undesirable, since otherwise the process of forming future flowers can be very disrupted. Also, strong shaking of the pot can be harmful, without which not a single movement of it can do.

Flowering, unfortunately, like absolutely all cacti, is very short-lived. It will begin in the spring when the buds are fully ripe and ready to bloom. And in five days they will fall off. Nevertheless, these five days are very important for the epiphyllum, since during these days it spends a lot of resources on maintaining flowers, and these resources need to be replenished, and therefore watering should be very abundant, like, in general, lighting.

Despite the short flowering of the epiphyllum, we still have something to please you with. The fact is that if you do everything right and take good care of the cactus, it can bloom again in the fall, rewarding you for your efforts.

How to prune an epiphyllum flower

Epiphyllum: photo of a flower

This is also a very important process that is directly related to flowering. In order to explain how, why and when it is carried out, you should also explain the structure of the epiphyllum.

The fact is that only one flower can appear on one areola of this plant, which means that after flowering they become practically useless branches, and the only thing they do is take precious resources from shoots with flowers.

Therefore, it is quite obvious that those shoots that have already faded should be removed. This is done with a very sharp knife, which in your hands will not cause unnecessary harm to the plant. After cutting off the branches, the cut area must be treated with charcoal to prevent possible infection.

Also, the so-called triangular shoots sometimes appear on the home flower epiphyllum. You should also get rid of them, since they do not form flowers at all.

Epiphyllum: reproduction

As you probably already guessed, there are many ways to propagate an epiphyllum. For this, both the seed method and division are used along with cuttings, and therefore we will definitely tell you all about them and help you decide which one is the best and most effective.

Concerning seed reproduction of the epiphyllum, then it is chosen exclusively by experienced and experienced flower growers who are not afraid of complex procedures and are ready to carry them out for a long time. The seeds will germinate quite quickly and rapidly, and the temperature that they need for this is room temperature, from twenty to twenty-five degrees Celsius.

Nevertheless, no matter how quickly the cactus itself grows, it will not bloom soon, namely, four to five years after planting, which, of course, is a rather long period.

For those who want to see a fully viable and flowering bush a little earlier, there are methods of dividing and cuttings. Let's start, perhaps, with the second, since it is very similar in principle to seed.

In order to cut a suitable stalk, you have to find the flattest shoot. The length of the handle should also be certain and it should be equal to fifteen centimeters, of course, taking into account a small error.

In order to place the stalk in a growing container, its base needs to be slightly sharpened with an ordinary garden knife.After this, the cut points are processed with coal, and the cutting itself is slightly dried.

As soon as all this is done, our cutting will need to be placed in some empty container without soil so that it is in a state perpendicular to the ground. So he will have to stand for about two days, after which the cuttings will finally be lucky enough to be in the ground. The pot in which the stalk will be located should be completely small: with a diameter of about seven centimeters.

The composition of the soil for the epiphyllum is not at all important and it will be best to use a universal soil that can be bought at absolutely any garden store. After you pour the soil for the epiphyllum into the pot, you should also sprinkle it with river sand on top.

The layer should not be thick at all - only about two centimeters. In such a pot, the stalk should spend enough time to start growing and developing. However, during the first few days, he certainly will not do this, and therefore it is better not to water it and remove it for a while in a dark place in order to allow the young epiphyllum to adapt.

As for the method division, then it is perhaps the easiest to execute. In addition, thanks to him, you can very soon see lush and beautiful flowers on each plot. In addition, by dividing, you also carry out the epiphyllum transplant procedure, thanks to which you have the opportunity to renew the soil for the epiphyllum in the pot and renew the pot itself, if suddenly there were defects on it.

However, when carrying out this operation, you need to be extremely careful. The cut sites are incredibly vulnerable to disease, and therefore should never be touched with bare hands. By the way, our next item will be devoted specifically to diseases and parasites.

Epiphyllum pests and diseases

Epiphyllum: photo of a flower

Epiphyllum is a plant that is susceptible to a fairly small range of diseases. However, this does not mean that it is not at all sick. In addition, it should be noted that the epiphyllum has its own family disease, which is called "Viral mosaic"... It manifests itself in the fact that a huge number of small painful spots are formed on the stems of the plant, which not only look completely unaesthetic, but also interfere with the life of the epiphyllum.

In addition, the appearance of these spots indicates that, most likely, the plant will not bloom this season, since all the buds will simply disappear. Unfortunately, the biggest problem associated with this disease is the absolute impossibility of curing it, and therefore the only thing you can do is to completely get rid of the infected flower.

Nevertheless, it manifests itself in plants only if not good enough or simply improper care is performed for them, and therefore, if you do not allow open wounds to appear on the surface of the flower and constantly make sure that it receives everything, then it is required, then you most likely will not have a mosaic.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about all kinds of pests, parasites and insects, because they are everywhere, and they do not care how well you care for the plant. Most often, enjoy the cactus epiphyllum is not averse scale insects and scale insectshowever, fortunately, they are fairly easy to get rid of.

To do this, you can resort to soapy water or, in extreme cases, to some kind of insecticide.

Epiphyllum: varieties and types

As we said at the very beginning of this article, there are many types of this wonderful plant, and it is very difficult to make the right choice when buying. Therefore, in this list we have collected for you seven of the best, interesting and popular types of Epiphyllum, among which it will be much easier to choose than from the endless variety presented in garden stores.

Epiphyllum serrated (Epiphyllum crenatum)

In the photo: serrated epiphyllum

The serrated epiphyllum is very different from the epiphyllum that we described to you throughout this article.The fact is that it practically does not look like a cactus and is completely devoid of needles. Well, and its stems, to be honest, look more like real seaweed, painted in bright green colors, which turns into red at the very tips.

In height, the home flower epiphyllum serrated reaches up to a meter. However, this is far from his greatest advantage. What everyone loves and buys for the serrated epiphyllum is, of course, its bud. It is simply stunningly beautiful and painted in a yellow-snow-white shade. In addition, it has small pseudo-petals at the back, forming a small areola behind the bud itself, which makes it incredibly similar to a real sun.

Epiphyllum sour-petal (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)

In the photo: sour-petal epiphyllum

The houseplant Epiphyllum sislopapalis is a real giant among the representatives of its large family. In height, it reaches as much as three meters, and its gigantic stems at their bases acquire a real tree-like structure.

However, they still remain quite narrow, as they are only ten centimeters wide. However, in comparison with many other epiphyllums, the stems of the sour-petal epiphyllum are rather thick and strong, which allows them not to fall when they are wide.

These strong and reliable stems are crowned with equally large flowers, which can reach as much as twenty centimeters in diameter, which is an amazing achievement. Behind the bud, they also have pseudo-petals of the acid-petal epiphyllum, which, nevertheless, are very randomly located and do not form any structured structure.

The same cannot be said about the real petals of the bud of the cystaphyllum. However, the sheer size of these colors is simply impressive, and their colors will impress those who love white and yellow tones.

Epiphyllum laui Kimnach

In the photo: epiphyllum Lau

If the previous type of epiphyllum could be called gigantic, then this one would be difficult to call even large, since its stems bend down very much, which is why it is often difficult to determine their real length. However, it's pretty easy to gauge their width, and they are really impressive.

In fact, the stems of this species look more like real large leaf plates, and therefore the flowers that are attached to them look rather ridiculous. Nevertheless, they are still very beautiful: their petals are quite wide and have a snow-white shade. The same can be said for pseudo-leaves, except that a bright gradient from white to orange can be observed on them.

By the way, another advantage of this species is how quickly it grows, however, there is one unpleasant drawback associated with this. The fact is that its flowering period is also very accelerated, which begins one night and from that moment lasts only two days. Fortunately, such a short flowering can be observed twice a year. Plus, it gives it value.

Epiphyllum anguliger

In the photo: epiphyllum anguliger

Looking at the anguliger epiphyllum, it is generally difficult to say that it is a cactus. The fact is that its stems have such an unusual structure that they become incredibly similar to ordinary fern leaves. Nevertheless, they are very distant from the fern and differ at least in that the epiphyllum blooms. Moreover, its flowering can be called one of the most beautiful among all representatives of this numerous genus.

The flower of the anguliger epiphyllum is formed right on the wall of the "fern-stem", and it has an amazing color. The bud itself has white-orange shades, passing with the help of a gradient to pseudo-petals, completely colored in bright orange. You can even say that these buds are somewhat similar to open oranges or tangerines.The bud of the anguliger epiphyllum is the pulp, and the pseudo-petals are the peel.

Hooker's Epiphyllum (Epiphyllum hookeri)

In the photo: Hooker's epiphyllum

This epiphyllum is truly dwarf, and, in addition, it is very rarely cultivated in our area due to the fact that it is very rare, and therefore it will be very interesting not only for lovers of miniature plants, but also for collectors. Its stems are rather short and tough. In addition, you can see small degraded needles on them, which look more like small bumps on the surface of the plant.

On the other hand, flowers of this species can hardly be called decorative. Their petals are very thin, and, moreover, they are located only in one plane, which is why the flower looks extremely voluminous and not at all lush. In addition, their color is greenish-white, which is very rare among epiphyllums.

Epiphyllum phyllanthus

Epiphyllum phyllanthus (epiphyllum phyllanthus)

It is difficult to single out how exactly this species differs from all the others. In fact, it's much easier to say that he simply absorbed all the best from other species and combined it all in himself. Epiphyllum phyllanthus pink (epiphyllum phyllanthus) really can be called to some extent ideal. It has an ideal height not exceeding a meter, ideal bright green stems, and ideal buds that have sufficient puffiness and a very rich pink hue.

Also, this species is very easy to care for and has excellent resistance to the hereditary epiphyllum disease. In addition, the flowers of the pink epiphyllum phyllanthus are very large and grow up to eighteen centimeters in diameter.

Epiphyllum Thomas (Epiphyllum thomasianum)

Now, looking at this epiphyllum, it is no longer so easy to say that the three-meter view is gigantic, since this "baby" reaches an incredible four meters. However, this is perhaps its only advantage. Its flowers look like giant daisies or water lilies, and the pseudo-petals are painted white-orange or white-green.

On the other hand, this flower is practically not used in home floriculture, and even professional gardeners are not particularly interested in it.

Conclusion

Epiphyllum is an incredibly diverse plant that can captivate you with its size, flowers, or the size of its flowers. In addition, it is quite simple to care for it, and if you are just starting your path as a grower, there is simply no better plant to start with. We hope that in this article we have given you enough tips to make your caring for this stunning cactus simple and easy, and therefore, perhaps, all that remains is to wish you the best in your future endeavors.