How to take care of your epiphyllum at home
If you follow proper care for the epiphyllum at home, then there will be no problems with this beautiful flower. Proper watering and regular feeding will provide the succulent with lush, long flowering.
Description of the plant and its types
The flower grows wild in countries with tropical climates. It can be found in Mexico and Central America.
Popular types:
- Epiphyllum Ackermann is distinguished by large flowers of various shades. Most often, the buds in the loose form become red. They appear in mid-spring or early summer. Shoots hang down almost 45 cm. The leaves are also long, straight and fleshy. Their width is from 3 to 5 cm.
- Epiphyllum hybrid Just Pru is grown at a temperature not lower than +180 C. The epiphyllum dissolves its pink flowers with an almost white center in mid-spring. The corolla reaches a diameter of 16 cm. As for propagation, it is best to use the cuttings method. This is due to the fact that it is almost impossible to collect seeds at home.
- Epiphyllum Fish Bone. It is also called a forest cactus. Very beautiful and large flowers up to 15 cm in diameter and up to 30 cm long. They are painted crimson, and the middle of each opened bud is slightly yellowish. The stem of the plant is flat. It reaches 1 m in length and 15 cm in width. The leaves are spectacular. The length of the plates ranges from 4.5 cm in length, with small teeth on the sides. The plant blooms magnificently. With proper care, flowering lasts several months.
- Epiphyllum acupuncture or white is best kept in floor pots, since the cactus grows significantly. The plant is distinguished by its fragrant flowers, which bewitchingly hang down from their own weight.
- Epiphyllum Oxypetalum. A cactus of impressive size. Its bush can grow up to 3 m. The stems are wavy at the edges, at the base they are denser, stiffened. They do not exceed 10 cm in width. The plant has large flowers. Each bud reaches 18 cm in diameter, with a persistent scent.
Epiphyllium Oxypetalum flowers bloom only at night.
Epiphyllum care at home
Before you start such a succulent in your house, you need to choose the right place for it. In this case, the most favorable conditions for the flower should be taken into account so that it grows well and blooms magnificently.
When growing a flower outdoors, the place is chosen so that the fleshy branches are not exposed to the burning sunlight.
Air temperature
In the spring and summer, when the cactus is actively growing, the temperature should be observed in the range from +21 to +250 C. The plant is provided with rest during the colder months. To do this, it must be moved to a room where the thermometer readings are around +13 - +160 C. Also, a flowerpot with a flower can be placed on a cool window.
Lighting
Succulent plants prefer well-lit areas. In the hot period of the day, it is recommended to shade the bush or rearrange it away from the sun's rays. The most favorable for the maintenance of this epiphyte are the western or eastern windows. He will be comfortable on such windowsills.
In warm weather, it is better to take the plant out into fresh air.
Air humidity
Despite the fact that the epiphyllum belongs to cacti, air humidity is important for it. Flower shoots should be wiped with a cloth dampened in water from time to time. In summer and winter, it is recommended to install a tray with water near the flowerpot or periodically turn on an electric humidifier. It will also be good to spray the bush with a spray bottle once a day.
Watering the epiphyllum
The succulent must be watered with settled, soft water. It shouldn't be cold. During the warmer months, when the flower is actively growing, it is watered regularly and abundantly. With the onset of autumn, the plant is irrigated less. In winter, the number of procedures is halved, but the soil should not completely dry out, as this can lead to drying out of the bush. As soon as spring comes, watering is increased again.
The choice of dishes and soil for planting
For proper vegetation and beautiful flowering, it is of great importance potin which the cactus is grown. When choosing a container, the size of the plant and its tendency to grow up are taken into account. Adult flowers are transplanted at the age of 3-4 years only after the roots grow from the bottom in the pot through the drainage holes. Young specimens are changed land annually.
Pot size
The cactus does not have a very large rhizome, so it prefers shallow containers. For the epiphyllium to bloom actively, the pot must be small for its rhizome. This stimulates the flower to bud. When transplanting overgrown specimens, flowerpots are taken, which are 2-4 cm larger than the previous ones.
If the rhizome of the plant is well developed, then it is better to choose deep containers for planting.
Cookware shape
Many growers are trying to grow cacti in rectangular containers in order to on the windowsill as many pots as possible. But this approach is wrong, since the close arrangement of plants prevents free air circulation. This can lead to root rot due to moisture disturbance. Therefore, for the epiphyllum, it is better to take a round pot.
Epiphyllum plant substrate
For growing a cactus, it is best to buy ready-made soil. You can also prepare the substrate yourself. To do this, you will need 4 volumes of turf and leaf land, as well as 1 volume of peat, river sand and charcoal. These five components will need to be mixed thoroughly. If everything is done correctly, then the soil will turn out to be loose and breathable.
Epiphyllum propagation methods
Epiphyllum is bred with seeds, separation of the mother plant, and cuttings. All three options allow you to grow a healthy cactus with bright, unusual flowers.
By dividing the old bush
When it comes time to transplant large shrubs of epiphyllum, you can carefully separate the stems and roots to get new plants. It is necessary to start this procedure after the cactus has faded. Strong juicy stems are chosen for reproduction. All damaged roots are cut off, and the cut sites are treated with crushed activated carbon. The separated specimens are planted in pots with nutritious soil and a good drainage layer. An excellent option is ready-made substrate for succulents and cacti.
At first, the seedling must be kept in a darkened place.
Using stem cuttings
A similar procedure begins at the end of April. The length of the cuttings should be from 10 to 15 cm. They are cut from intact stems, slightly sharpened at the bottom. The separated cuttings are left to dry for two days in an empty pot, placing them cut down. So extra juice will come out of them. After that, the cuttings are buried in a substrate special for succulents by 1.5 cm. From above they are covered with a layer of 2 cm from river sand.
The pots should be used not very high, about 7-8 cm. The next day after planting, the specimens are watered.
Seed method
The soil for sowing grains must be used nutritious. Before the procedure, the seeds are laid out on the ground, sprinkled with earth. After that, the soil is sprayed with a spray bottle and covered with a mini-greenhouse. For this, you can use both a glass jar and polyethylene. Optimal conditions for their germination - +250 FROM.
For rapid germination, the greenhouse is opened every day for about an hour. This time will be enough for the soil to be saturated with oxygen. After the sprouts appear, the greenhouse is removed.
At the beginning of growth, the flower looks like an ordinary cactus, later it sheds thorns and its branches become smooth, flat in shape. With this method of cultivation, the plant will bloom no earlier than 5 years later.
Knowing what varieties of epiphyllum are, you can choose the option that will best match the interior of the room and the desires of the owners. With proper care, the plant will delight everyone with its unusual flowers for many years.