In the family of cacti you can find such a genus as Epiphyllum. It was discovered in 1812, for its name Greek words were used, which in translation means "on" or "above" and "leaf", and Adrian Havort did it. Thus, it was stressed that on the leaves of this plant there are delicious flowers. Although it is, in fact, not flowers, but stems that have changed.
In the genus of epiphyllums, you can count almost 20 plant species that have spread throughout much of America, from Mexico to the tropics. They are mostly semi-shrubs, which have a creeping base and a fleshy stem, which has the shape of a leaf; edge at the sheet with notches. In the grooves of the shoot appear small scales - this is the future leaves. The flowers of this plant are large, have the shape of a funnel, with a long flower tube; the aroma of flowers is very strong.
Epiphyllum has a very wide variety in color: from pure white and cream, to pink and red shades; but they do not have blue flowers. The flowers of this plant are so beautiful that they called it an orchid among cacti.
When growing indoors, even when pollinating artificially, the plant may have rather large fruits. Fruits have a purple or greenish yellow color, it depends on the flower itself; often the fruit is covered with spines. The flesh is with a pleasant and strong flavor, but the taste is somewhat like a mixture of pineapple and strawberries.
There are about two hundred hybrids of epiphyllums, they are mistakenly called phylocactuses. Such cacti are well suited for decoration as ampel compositions.
Care of the plant
Lighting. Houseplants epiphyllum lovers of bright and scattered light, although penumbra for them is not a hindrance. But with a lack of lighting, growth may slow down or stems may turn yellow. They grow well on the western and eastern sides, while on the northern side the bloom may not be strong, and in the south at noon shade is required. In summer, it is advisable to expose the epiphyllum to fresh air, a place where there is plenty of light, but there is no direct sun.
Temperature regime. If we talk about temperature, then from spring to late summer they prefer a temperature of + 20-25C. And for the rest of the period, the temperature is best lowered to + 10-15 ° C.
Watering. Plants of epiphyllum are often called cacti of moist forests, so they require abundant watering; It is necessary to keep the soil always moderately moist, i.e. water, as soon as the top layer of soil has dried up. It is desirable to use water soft and warm. In the autumn-winter period, watering is reduced a little, watered, when not only the top layer dries up, but the whole earth. If the winter is very cold, then the plant does not water at all. In the beginning of spring, watering is again renewed to moderate, and when the bud is already watered abundantly.
Air humidity. Specific requirements for air humidity, the plant does not show, but prefers high humidity. And in summer, in hot weather, it would be nice to spray these potted plants with water.
Top dressing. In spring and summer, a fertilizer should be added to the pot with epiphyllum, this is done twice a month; suitable for conventional cactus fertilizer. When buds appear, you can add Mullein by mixing it with water in a ratio of 1: 4, respectively. When flowering and until the end of August, a mullein can be fed every 2 weeks. If desired, mullein can sometimes be replaced with a nitrogen fertilizer.
Bloom. At the end of winter, the plant begins to grow, buds begin to be laid. During this period, it is undesirable to rearrange the plant to another location, otherwise it can dump them.
The flowering of the epiphyllum begins mostly in the spring, around April. Each flower on the plant lasts five days. During this period, the plant requires regular watering, fertilizing, it is not forbidden to spray. If the conditions are comfortable, then the plant can again bloom in autumn.
The flower on the shoot is formed once, therefore, in a few years all the old shoots must be removed, since there will be no flowers on them. In addition, the plant sometimes has trihedral shoots, they are also better to remove, due to the fact that they, too, almost do not bloom.
Transfer. If it is necessary to transplant the plant, then it is desirable to do this after flowering. Each year, this is not necessary, because close conditions in the pot stimulate the flowering of the epiphyllum. Capacity suitable flat and wide, because the root system is almost not developed. For land use a mixture of leaf and turf ground, add sand and charcoal, which before it is crushed. The leaves of the earth need four parts, the remaining ingredients in one piece. Although it is possible to use a ready mix from the store, which is suitable for cacti; it is desirable that the mixture is present in most of the peat. The acidity of the soil should not be strong, and lime should be completely absent. Before transplanting, the plant should not be watered for two days, then during transplantation the soil from the roots will fall off well. After transplanting, the plant should be placed in a shade and watered with caution.
Reproduction. Epiphyllum - plants, the reproduction of which can be carried out in several ways - by seeds and cuttings (this is done in late spring), it is also possible to divide old specimens during transplantation.
If you sow the seeds of the epiphyllum, then in that case small cacti with stalks and a lot of spines will come to the surface. Over time, the stems will thicken, the thorns will fall off and the stems will become leafy. The temperature suitable for seed germination is + 20-25C. If the growing conditions are comfortable for them, then the young plant will give flowers for the fourth - fifth year.
If you want to propagate by cuttings, then from a flat shoot, cut the stem 12 cm long, and the base should be sharpened in the form of a triangle, then dried and planted in a pot. It is necessary to dry it in the following way: the stalk is placed vertically in the container for several days, to drain the juice, and after that it can be planted. The earth mixture is prepared from deciduous and turf ground, one and two parts respectively with the addition of 0.25 parts of sand. On top of the mixture it is necessary to sprinkle washed sand. Cuttings cut down to a depth of 1 cm and put in the shade. Within a day cuttings can not be watered. After the cuttings have roots, it is necessary to plant them in small pots.
Possible difficulties
- If the soil stagnates in the pot, the roots may start to rot, especially if the plant hibernates at a cold temperature.
- If the plant is planted in the open air, slugs may appear.
- Also, the plant can undergo fungal infection, for example, fusarium. From this on the plant appear ring-shaped, discolored spots, which increase in size.
- Can be attacked by a spider mite, aphids, scabbard or mealybug.