Epiphyllum oxypetalum

[Ray]

Known generically as an "orchid cactus", an epiphyllum was the first plant I acquired for myself in college.

I went to a yard sale, and the gentleman selling it (erroneously) said "It's a night-blooming cereus that just bloomed. It only blooms every seven years, so it's got to go." It was a large, weird-looking plant in a 10" pot for 50 cents, so home it came.

It bloomed that summer and periodically thereafter, but was another victim of the "big freeze" that wiped out my 20-year orchid collection in 1994.

Fast forward to this spring, and a Hawaiian grower on another forum posted a flower photo. I asked if he could send me a cutting, and about a week later, a single leaf arrived.

I half-filled a 4" pot with potting soil and jammed it in. It started growing a single stalk about 6 weeks later, and then the old leaf started forming a bud. I had no idea a plant this small could bloom!

[neophyte]

very cool! i thought these only bloomed at night and wilted during the day though...

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by neophyte

very cool! i thought these only bloomed at night and wilted during the day though...

Epiphyllum flowers don't last long, but do hold for a few days.(night-blooming cereus does just bloom at night, one and done, looks similar) In the SF Bay area, in frost-free areas Epiphyllum should grow well. Some have incredible colors on 7 inch flowers. They propagate from cuttings very easily. Main downside is that they can get rather large, which is why I don't have more of them, have to save space for orchids.

[Subrosa]

Any fragrance Ray? The last one I had smelled EXACTLY like lemon pound cake!

[Ray]

That photo was taken about 9 pm. With our temperatures here - we hit a cool spell with lows in the upper 60's - the flower was limp by 8 am.