Epiphyllum are leaf cacti that impress with their abundance of flowers. The easy-care plants have a shrub-like growth that is rather unusual for typical cacti. Due to their often hanging shoots, they are often cultivated as hanging basket plants, but they have different requirements in terms of location, substrate and care than other cactus plants. You can find out how to properly care for the interesting Epiphyllum in this article.
How do you properly care for Epiphyllum leaf cacti?
Epiphyllum leaf cacti need a bright, warm and partially shaded location, special substrate for leaf cacti, regular watering without waterlogging and fertilizing with houseplant fertilizer in half the dosage during the growth phase. A winter rest period at 10-15 degrees Celsius promotes flowering.
Origin and distribution
Most species of the genus Epiphyllum are native to Central and South America and the Caribbean, where they grow as epiphytes on the tall trees of tropical, humid rainforests. Hybrids of wild species that are very similar in appearance can be found commercially. These are considered to be less demanding than their parent species and are therefore easier to care for as houseplants.
Usage
Due to their tropical origins, Epiphyllum leaf cacti are not hardy here and are therefore primarily cultivated as houseplants. The plants, which are very sensitive to cold, are only allowed on the terrace or balcony during the warm summer months, but should not be exposed to the blazing sun there. Since most species and varieties have a hanging habit, you can keep them as hanging plants. If this is not desired, the long shoots should either be supported or tied upwards.
Appearance and growth
All Epiphyllum leaf cacti grow either epiphytically or lithophytically, i.e. H. as epiphytes on trees or rocks. The various species grow like bushes, forming either hanging or climbing and only rarely upright shoots. The long shoots are often heavily branched and become woody with age. In contrast to the round older shoots, young shoots are rather flat and are not dissimilar to leaves - however, despite their external similarity, they are not deciduous leaves. Thorns are usually not present. Some species do develop some, but they remain very small.
Flowers and flowering time
The solitary, mostly funnel-shaped flowers can be very long: Some Epiphyllum species impress with flowers up to 30 centimeters in size, which can also be colored in almost all colors except blue. The wild species usually have white, yellow or pink flowers on the outside and pale yellow or whitish on the inside. The flowering times vary greatly depending on the species and variety. Incidentally, many species only bloom from the age of around five years, which is why a lack of flowering cannot necessarily be attributed to inadequate care.
Fruits
In this country, fruits are rarely formed due to a lack of pollinators. However, you can buy the black, kidney-shaped seeds from specialist retailers and use them to grow your own plants.
Which location is suitable?
Epiphyllum leaf cacti prefer a bright and warm location that does not have strong sunlight. A semi-shady place is best, which offers protection from the scorching sun, especially around midday. If the location is too sunny for the plant, this will quickly become apparent in leaf burns. In summer you can put the leaf cacti outside, but you should also protect them from the midday sun and rain. When keeping an apartment, high humidity between 60 and 80 percent is also important.
Substrate
Even if epiphyle are cacti, commercial cactus soil is unsuitable as a substrate. Leaf cacti have high nutrient requirements that cannot be met by cactus soil. Instead, use special soil for leaf cacti (available from specialist retailers) or mix it yourself from normal potting soil and a third of bark mulch, pumice gravel or quartz sand - it is important that the substrate is well-drained and waterlogging cannot occur in the first place.
Planting and repotting
Most Epiphyllum leaf cacti grow hanging, which is why they are well suited for hanging baskets. Alternatively, you can plant them in a tall planter so that the long shoots can hang down. Species that grow taller than 20 centimeters should either be cultivated as hanging basket plants or definitely supported. When planting, it is not only important to have the right substrate, but also good pot drainage. Leaf cacti need a lot of water, but should not be left wet. The plants therefore thrive best in planters with an automatic irrigation system.
Since young plants often grow strongly, you should move them to a larger pot every year. In addition, the substrate is used up after three years at the latest and should then be replaced. The best time to repot is spring.
Watering Epiphyllum
Even if the classic cacti prefer it dry: As a typical rainforest inhabitant, the Epiphyllus leaf cactus needs moisture and has difficulty coping with dryness. The plant doesn't like dried out substrate, nor does it like waterlogging. Therefore, keep the soil evenly moist, but not wet, during the growing season. Remove excess irrigation water as soon as possible and use rainwater or decalcified tap water if possible - leaf cacti cannot tolerate calcareous water. It is also important to follow these special instructions when watering:
- water very sparingly for four to six weeks after flowering
- Slowly increase watering quantities from April
- water abundantly between May and September
- Substrate should then be well moistened
- Mist the plant daily during the growing season
- Do not spray the flowers, they will become stained
Fertilize Epiphyllum properly
There are also some special features to consider with regard to fertilization. Leaf cacti have quite a high nutrient requirement, which is why you should never provide them with cactus fertilizer - this is not adapted to the needs of the Epiphyllum species. Instead, use a normal houseplant fertilizer, which you apply at half the dosage every 14 days between April and September. But be careful: Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content quickly lead to over-fertilization, which is why whole grain and blue grain products are not suitable. It is better to use a low-nitrogen fertilizer, as this promotes lush flowering better. There is no fertilization during the winter months.
Cut Epiphyllum correctly
Epiphyllum leaf cacti tolerate pruning very well, but should only be cut back when actually necessary - for example because they have become too large for their location. The plants develop a more or less symmetrical growth all by themselves, which can become uneven if you use scissors incorrectly. Only sick, dead or broken shoots and dead flowers should be removed. Cut this off just below the flower head.
Propagate Epiphyllum
Epiphyllum leaf cacti are easy to propagate by cuttings or by sowing, although you must be patient when propagating seeds: depending on the type and variety, the germination time is several weeks to even months.
Propagation via cuttings
To propagate cuttings, cut off he althy shoots that are approximately 15 centimeters long in early summer. The interfaces must dry for one to three days before planting. Then place them about three centimeters deep in a planter filled with growing substrate or unfertilized coconut soil and keep it slightly moist in the coming weeks. As a rule, most leaf cacti can be rooted quite easily and show initial growth after just a few weeks.
Sowing
You can get the seeds for sowing either from specialist retailers or by collecting the ripe fruits from your leaf cacti. The ideal time for sowing is spring. Sow the black seeds on unfertilized coconut soil, cocohum or special coconut swelling tablets and under no circumstances cover them with substrate - all types are light germinators. It is best to place the planter in an indoor greenhouse or cover it with translucent film or glass. Keep the substrate moist by spraying it with low-lime water.
Wintering
Important for lush flowering of the Epiphyllum leaf cacti is a winter rest phase, during which the plants are kept a little cooler at ten to a maximum of 15 degrees Celsius and are only watered a little and no longer fertilized. However, a lot of light is required, which is why the leaf cacti should be as bright as possible even in winter. A permanently warm winter is harmful to the plants as it weakens them and makes them more susceptible to pathogens and pests.read more
Diseases and pests
With proper care, Epiphyllum leaf cacti are resilient, robust houseplants that are rarely affected by disease. If the plants still ail, the cause can usually be found in incorrect care:
- Rot on shoots and roots: too much moisture
- rotted, thin shoots: dryness
- bright, whitish-green spots on the leaf members: viral infection
- cork-like spots: fungal infection
If there are any signs, the only thing that helps is to cut back the diseased parts of the plant generously and move them into fresh substrate and a new pot. The most common pests are spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects.
Tip
In winter, leaf cacti should not be sprayed, otherwise they tend to rot.
Species and varieties
Epiphyllum are an epiphytic plant genus from the cactus family (bot. Cactaceae), which are classified as leaf cacti due to their shrub-like growth along with species from a wide variety of cactus genera. These include, for example, the Christmas cactus and the Easter cactus, which, however, belong to other genera and are only distantly related. There are around 17 different Epiphyllum species, with special hybrid forms primarily being cultivated. These are considered to be less complicated and often produce large, fragrant flowers several times a year.
The following species and cultivars are particularly recommended:
- Epiphyllum ackermannii: particularly flowering species with light red to red flowers up to 12 centimeters in size
- Epiphyllum anguliger: up to 18 centimeters large, white inside and yellow outside flowers
- Epiphyllum hookeri: native to South America with bicolor flowers that are white on the inside and yellowish brown on the outside, flowers have an intense scent of lilies and only open at night
- Epiphyllum oxypetalum: pointed, small flowers with red outer leaves
- 'German Empress': lushly flowering hybrid variety with numerous bright pink flowers
- 'Spring Splendor': pleasantly scented, narrow flowers with purple petals
- 'Heaven's Eye': very large, up to 17 centimeters large flowers in bright carmine red
- ‘Knebels Dickchen’: strong crimson flowers with orange-red petals
- 'Queen Ann': produces very large, pure white flowers with a diameter of up to 20 centimeters
- 'Siegfried': lots of pleasantly scented, pale pink flowers with yellow petals
