New Epiphyllum owner

Hi all,
I bought an Orchid cactus(epiphyllum) this spring at the garden center when I bought my bedding plants. I just stuck it in the greenhouse and forgot about it. My greenhouse isn't heated, so I'm bringing the plants in and OMG, this thing is huge - 3'x 3'. What's the best indoor location(if I can find one!) and winter care for this? Thanks.
Cindy

This message was edited Thursday, Oct 4th 3:00 PM

I CAN ONLY TELL YOU WHAT LOGEE'S CATALOG SAYS. -----"PERFECT FOR GROWING CLOSE TO A WINDOW IN AN ARID ATMOSPHERE-EVEN THAT OUT OF THE WAY PLACE WHERE THEY MIGHT BE SUBJECTED TO A LITTLE NEGLECT. --THEY PREFER TO BE WETTER IN SUMMER AND DRIER IN WINTER-DO EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AS HANGING BASKETS" HOPE THIS HELPS, LOU

I'm in zone 21 or CA zone 10, my neighbor keeps hers outside all winter with a cover to keep them dry. I hope we get some discussion about these cacti as I just inherited 20 of the little beauties, the names have been lost that is why they were given to me. I have read that they should go dorment during the winter here, then fertilized and watered in the Spring so they can flower for Mother's Day. What do I fertilize with? Do they need a different soil than my succulents? What other information will I need? Sun? Shade?
Mine are only in 4" pots but they are old plants. Norma

Norma, hi..I grow ochid cactus..have been, for some yrs now..amd I find that a little moisture goes a long way as far as the bloom set goes..everytime I do water, I give them a water-soluable mixture of 0-10-10(up here, we call it Alaska-mor-bloom..no N! I have had them outside all summer and they set bloom then, also! so, myself, I have reallized they'll do what they want..as far as exposure goes...dappled shade seems to work just fine..good luck, Elaine

Thanks for the replies - I also posted this on the Houseplants forum and got this informative response from Will Creed (NYC horticulturist):


The key to orchid cactus bloom is providing a winter rest period. From now until the end of January provide cool temps in the 50 to 55 degree range. Allow the potting mix to become quite dry between waterings - just enough to keep leaves from withering. Bright light is not so essential during this period.

In February or perhaps a bit earlier, you may see signs of new growth. Then it is time to increase the light to bright
indirect and gradually increase the water and fertilizer
frequency.

This message was edited Monday, Oct 8th 7:44 AM

Cindy, how cold does your greenhouse get in winter? My Epies are all outside all year round. I haven't got the conversion chart in front of me and am not sure how much 50 - 55 F is exactly, but mine get a lot colder than that, with temperatures falling about two degrees below freezing a few times in winter. They are protected overhead from direct frost by shade cloth, and they have to be dry when it is that cold.
Most have just opened the first flowers this past weekend! :-)

I also want to thank all of you. I love this information, this time around I'll grow them correctly. I was not giving them a winter rest, keeping them to wet, fertilizing them with the wrong stuff. Norma

Maddy,
It's the first year that I've had the greenhouse, but it's only PVC/plastic and doesn't hold the heat in too well. Our winter temps can go as low as -10 F (-23 C), so until I know how the greenhouse will hold the heat, I'm not taking the chance of leaving too many plants out there. Thanks anyway! :o)
Cindy

Another important point on planting the epis is..I was told to incorporate some sharp sand(washed sand), and some grit..not too much along with the ster. potting soil..apparently they love this...Elaine

Hi elaine. I just found crushed oyster shell in a feed store, -apparently they feed it to chickens. It seems
to be working out really well to provide calcium and drainage. cheers barbara (in C.R)

Oyster shell, well tomorrow I'll buy that. I am also grow Epi for the first time, as well as, Riphalis. I did find some instructions in some old Epi catalogues dating back 30 years. I guess they still grow them the same now. I'm going to give it a go. Oyster grit is also good for succulents.
Thanks for the tips. Love it. Norma

Crasulady.when exactly does your Rhip whatever?? bloom?? mine was in bloom when I purchased it last year(a beautiful lemon yellow colour??? I have epis in bloom again inside..Elaine

Elaine, -so excited! I received a packet of cuttings
from Northern Ireland yesterday. All fine, all in great
shape! I took a picture of them in Canada in their little
pots for the Irish fellow.
What have you got blooming now? I'm jealous.
Cheers, Barbara

Cindy, mail me your address, I have an old catalogue for you, Norma

species of night blooming cactus are confused with one another, but as far as i am concerned, they are different animal to the other. a very complicated subject to deal with, but it has to be address. Epiphyllum is a specie all to its own, whereas what u call the orchid cactus is in the schlumbergera specie, leaves are shorter. please check the following web sites...

epiphyllum - http://www.botany.com/epiphyllum.html http://www.netasia.net/users/charleskeng/flower.htm http://www.epiphyllum.com/

schlumbergera - http://www.botany.com/schlumbergera.htm http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/generalbotany/typesofshoots/cladode/a1116tx.html

yet another specie is also sometimes confused with the two
specie to add to the confusion is rhipsalis - http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Rhipsalis_pachyptera.html

i really did not want to touch the subject, but it is also good to know the difference... ma vie

I realize I'm jumping in here late, but I wanted to clear up some confusion.

What is commonly known as an Orchid Cactus is usually an epiphyllum hybrid of some type. The only thing that Epiphyllums and Schlumbergeras have in common is that they are both jungle cacti and they are both epiphytes.

In Ma Vie's first hyperlink under Schlumbergera,it refers to S. bridgesii. This name is incorrect and misapplied, although you can still find it circulating. When you see this name used in reference to a Christmas cactus it usually refers to an S. xbuckleyi type cactus.

In the second hyperlink, it refers to Schlumbergera truncata, but the picture is that of either an S. russelliana or an S. xbuckleyi cross!

What's the difference, you ask?

S. truncata and it's hybrids are usually referred to as Thanksgiving or Crabclaw cactus. They grow fairly upright and the phylloclades have toothed margins. The flower is held at an angle and away from the plant. Flowers can be any color from red, fuschia, pink, white, yellow, peach, etc. Seed pods, when they are formed, are perfectly round.

S. xbuckleyi is a cross between species S. truncata and S. russellianna. It is recognized by it's pendant habit and the smooth, rounded and crenate phylloclades. Flowers are most often purple or fuschia,although there is some variation. This is the Christmas cactus that your grandmother may have grown. Seeds pods on an S. russelliana or xbuckleyi cactus are usually four winged.

Schlumbergera have been so interbred that most have multiple characteristics as described above. I posted pictures in the plant database of the hybrids "Rocket (a truncata hybrid)" and "Tinsel (an x buckleyi type plant and flower)" so you can see the difference. Would be happy to answer any questions or hear comments from others.

Mark, from Ireland, sent me a leaf from the epiphyllum and I rooted it. It has started putting out growth from the leaf on the edges. After reading up on it I need to know if the growths are buds of the flowers? I have a new growth coming up from the root. Any help on this will be appreciated. Thanks. Jim

GRC,

This is the time of year when epiphyllums start to come into active growth-- my Fruhling's Gold is starting to show new branches too. So what you are seeing on your plant is probably new green growth.

I don't know how long you have had your epi, but it takes about two years or so to get a blooming plant from a cutting.

Thanks Inda. I was thinking that it was new growth and not buds. I have had it about 6 months. I think maybe I have overwatered and have it now sittng in a window with morning sun. I have a cousin in Ca. that is going to send me a cutting of one that she has.

I just noticed that several are in flower at this time. These are small white little flowers, so far nothing that has more color. I think I have several species that are actually rat's tail? They are not a very attractive plant at all. I lost the documentation on these plants, all came from the Huntington Gardens. I never knew how to grow these before, I really appreciate all the information. Come Spring I'll mail some these to you gals. If I chance shipping them into Canada, they will be declared and noted that I had sprayed them. No soil, roots, clean as a whistle. I will leave them out for 5 days to make sure noting starts to grow on them, then you should spray them when received. Norma

Wow, I read your postings again. I have only species from the Huntington, they were collected by Myron Kimnick et. al.
You're all so knowledgeable, I really am going to send plant cuttings to all of you in the States, Barbara, I hope I can one through to you. These were collected plants in the 70's So I really hope they will get through. This will be done in the Spring. I have in the house, Rhipsalis mesembryantha Bonn 04482 It actually looks like a Sedum with prickles. Another called R. burchellii, thin sticks.ex Rainbow Gardens, yet another cereoides, not roots yet, I think the Huntington Gardens, I do have four friends that these came from, all free. So I will certainly share. Norma

it's so fun, most times when I'm in here I feel like I'm in a strange land with a new language! it will take a long time before I understand more than a few words, but it's so exciting listening to it all:) I'm going to try and find a book at the library that has a lot of succulents. I have quite a few books, but most of them don't have many succulents in them. Where do they have a good free catalog that has info in it???

I have old Epi catalogues that I'm willing to share. They are from various nurseries. TIG usually book will have a glossary. Print off the stuff all of you are writing about, Epi's and such. Put it in a binder, this is great information for all of us. I'm surely going to keep it and refer to it in the furutre. I really want to send each of you a catalogue for helping me. This is the way I say thank you. These are in full glorious color. Norma

well, you have my address now:) do I need to send extra postage? I think I have learned more from seed and plant catalogs than from any other book:)
those and Dave's:)

Norma,. -could you save one for me? please, please?
barbara

canada has no restrictions on plant cuttings, -especially cactus! Apparently our government doesn't put much stock in that theory of the polar ice cap melting, and cactus running rampant over the snow banks!
seriously norma, I'd love some cuttings sometime. I order them in and they come with big labels stating that they are cactus cuts, without any problem.
barbara