Content
- Worth knowing about Epiphyllum species - leaf cacti
- Worth knowing about Epiphyllum species
- Various flower colors of the different Epiphyllum species
- Epiphyllum mostly as a hybrid in trade
- All species of Epiphyllum are easy to care for
- Tips
The Epiphyllum oxypetalum is just one of many Epiphyllum species
Worth knowing about Epiphyllum species - leaf cacti
Epiphyllum is the botanical name for the leaf cactus that exists in numerous species. Most varieties are extremely easy to care for and therefore ideal beginner plants. Due to their great diversity in flower colors and growth form, they enjoy great popularity as a houseplant.
Worth knowing about Epiphyllum species
The best known species of leaf cactus are the Christmas cactus and the Easter cactus.
Various flower colors of the different Epiphyllum species
The leaf cactus is characterized by the fact that it produces very different flower colors depending on the variety. For example, Epiphyllum anguliger produces 15- to 18-cm-long flowers, the outer bracts are lemon yellow and the inner leaves are pure white. Epiphyllum oxypetalum develops smaller pointed flowers with reddish outer leaves.
Most species have a hanging growth habit and are therefore often pulled as a traffic light plant. In addition to the articulated leaves they carry heavily flattened sprouts.
Unlike other cactus species, the Epiphyllum has no spines or only very weak spines.
Epiphyllum mostly as a hybrid in trade
Epiphyllum grows in nature as Epiphyt, so on other plant species. The types that are offered in the trade are mostly hybrids that are much more robust and also better able to cope with the conditions in the house.
All species of Epiphyllum are easy to care for
The care of leaf cactus differs from other species of the large cactus family. He needs in contrast to these more moisture and occasionally likes small fertilizer.
In winter, the Epiphyllum must be a little cooler, as it produces no or only a few flowers without a rest.
It is important that you never use cactus soil as substrate and also do not supply the Epiphyllum with special cactus fertilizer. Suitable soil is potting soil, which is mixed with sand or gravel. For fertilizing, there are leaf cactus fertilizers or fertilizers for green plants that contain little nitrogen.
Tips
Epiphyllum not only bears very decorative, but usually also fragrant flowers. The white-flowering species of Epiphyllum smell the strongest. The flowering time of most varieties lasts from spring to summer.