Epiphyllum cactus plant

Houseplant Epiphyllum – succulent with flexible, long shoots of bright green or yellowish color. It is interesting that the leaves had not, but that is so similar to the leaves flat or triquetrous stems. Occurring in the home floriculture instances are hybrids grown in artificial conditions.

Features cactus Epiphyllum

Homeland cactus Epiphyllum – Mexico and South America. Pure botanical species are found only in the wild. In nature, there are about 20 species. The main advantage of the forest cacti are their flowers that reach sizes of 8-16 cm in diameter, the length can reach 40 cm. Beautiful large flowers in white, red or pink in color with a subtle or quite intense pleasant scent. Later flowering they ripen pink oblong fruits with seeds inside. Juicy edible fruit resembles a plum. Its flesh tastes like a strawberry and pineapple.

Epiphyllum – home care

Epiphyllum grow many fans of the home colors. For they do not need special care, they are not capricious, but abundantly flowering shrubs Epiphyllum in the house of a rarity.

How to properly care for Epiphyllum that he is buried in flowers?

In recent years, displayed a wide variety of new varieties of cactus with large simple, terry, funnel-shaped flowers. petals color may be different from them: white, red, pink, yellow, and even multi-colored. Shoots branching and form a fairly thick bush. The base of the stems are gradually covered with bark cracks. Stalks bend to the bottom, so the flower is often grown as a basket plant. Wavy edges on young stems are short, stiff bristles on the old shoots are absent.

To flower bloomed profusely every year, you need to make some effort. Despite the diversity of species, grow them in compliance with the same simple rules.

Temperature

When growing Epiphyllum indoor climate is needed with optimal ambient temperature of + 20C, 25C, and supply of fresh air necessary for him.

In winter, when the set period of rest, the temperature is reduced to + 12-15S. At this time the formation of flower buds. Such temperatures can be achieved flower, if move the pot on the window sill close to the glass.

In summer, on the outdoor temperature for the particular Epiphyllum irrelevant. The average daily temperature fluctuations it carries easily.

lighting

Epiphyllum can successfully grow in bright light, and in partial shade, but it can blossom only when there is sufficient light. From the lack of light will turn yellow stems and buds are not fastened. In the hot sun shoots will wither, the flowers will fade.

NoteThe best place to Epiphyllum – a well-lit window, where the light is bright but diffused

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Epiphyllum needs fresh air. In the warmer months it can be taken into the fresh air, or put in the open field.

Watering

Epiphyllum in the period of active development and during the flowering need abundant and regular watering. In winter, watering plants mainly depends on the temperature of the contents, but in any case less frequent watering in the dormant period. When buds appear, the soil is moistened sparingly. Epiphyllum summer abundantly watered and fertilized breeding ground for the cactus, in the rest of the time it needs to be watered with a soft, warm water without fertilizer.

Note!In order not to be mistaken with the watering, you need to follow when dry up the topsoil, then watered. Thus, the plant can be protected from drying out and from waterlogged soil.

Humidity

Epiphyllum, unlike other cacti need spraying. Even the moisture on it does not harm the flowers. In the warm period it is often sprayed in the morning or evening, when there is no direct sunlight. Winter spraying is stopped.

Feeding

Cactus summer fertilize once a month in the winter for feeding cactus optional. In order to feed the flower fertilizer suitable for cacti, but you can use food for flowering houseplants in the half dose of the recommended.

Multiplication

Ripple Epiphyllum is not difficult.

  • One of the easiest ways to -cherenkovanie reproduction. Handle put into water to increase the roots, and then planted in a pot with soil.
    Cuttings Epiphyllum
  • You can divide the bush under the planned transplant, or especially when flowering is complete, to propagate the plant. Bush is divided so that each part had its own roots.
  • Much less often propagated by seed – a sophisticated way.
    Seeds Epiphyllum

Epiphyllum bloom

During flowering Epiphyllum need special care. During this period it often watered and regularly sprayed with the bush.

Flower buds are laid in the second year stems. Epiphyllum in bloom from spring to mid-summer is very beautiful flowers. Flowering is very beautiful, but short. The buds are revealed one by one, and each flower lives of about 5-10 days, leaving the fruit.

Good to know!With the advent of the first buds of the flower can not be rotated and moved, otherwise the flowers will fall down and do not dissolve.

Transplant Epiphyllum

The plant grows very quickly and after flowering, you can replant it. For planting using flowerpots not high but wide, with good drainage holes. At the bottom of the pot carefully poured drainage layer of expanded clay (1.5-2 cm). The soil can be used for cacti.

transplant Epiphyllum

Trim the stems

After the winter, you can delete the old part of the plant and damaged deformed shoots. Over the summer, the stems are developing strongly and bush becomes large. At the end of the season, before going into a state of dormancy, the shoots are cut by one-third or half. In the spring they will give new stems or flowers. Stems that have bloomed once more will not bloom.

Diseases and pests

The main pests of the cactus are Jose scale, aphid and mealybug. At the wrong content Epiphyllum suffering from fungal diseases. All these disorders are characterized by slower growth, the appearance of spots of different colors. Fungal diseases handle difficult the correct option – to destroy diseased plants.

Types of cacti Epiphyllum

Genus Epiphyllum includes several dozen species. About 20 native species and more than 200 high-quality hybrid forms of this plant. Some of them are very different from each other. The main differences between them lie in coloring, the form of flowers and stems.

Epiphyllum serrated (Epiphyllum crenatum)
Epiphyllum kislolepestnoy (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)
Epiphyllum Lau (Epiphyllum laui Kimnach)
Epiphyllum angular (Epiphyllum anguliger)
Epiphyllum Hooker (Epiphyllum hookeri)
phyllanthus Epiphyllum (Epiphyllum phyllanthus)

Interest in these cacti growing thanks to the spread of different hybrids. They surprised florist beauty of its flowering. Properly caring for these tropical plants, and they will delight with their colors.

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