Queen of the night.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Mittel

Pflanzenart

Epiphytic cactus

Licht

Bright indirect light

Licht im Innenraum

Hell, indirekt

Gießen

Alle 7 bis 14 Tage

Endgröße

3 to 10 feet

Wachstum

Schnell

Winterhärte

USDA 10 bis 12

Blütezeit

Late spring to early autumn

Pflege

Keep your plant in a spot with plenty of filtered light and avoid direct sun that might scorch the stems. Watch for yellowing stems, which often signal that the soil is staying too wet for too long. Ensure the potting mix is chunky and well-draining to mimic its natural home on tree branches.

Gießen

Let the top few inches of soil dry out completely before you give it another drink.

Düngen

Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.

Schneiden

Trim back any damaged or overly long stems after the flowering season ends.

Umtopfen

Repot only when the plant becomes root-bound, as it prefers to be slightly snug in its container.

Boden

Well-draining orchid or cactus mix

Boden-pH

6.0 to 7.0

Temperatur

10 bis 30°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

50 bis 70%

Trockenheitstoleranz

Mittel

Lebensdauer

Perennial, can live for several decades with proper care.

Duft

Stark

Wildverbiss-Resistenz

Mittel

Sicherheit

Menschen

This plant is non-toxic to humans.

Kinder

Keep away from small children due to the potential for sharp, albeit small, spines on the stems.

Kontaktallergene

The stems may have tiny spines that can cause minor skin irritation.

Allergene in der Luft

There are no known significant respiratory allergens associated with this plant.

Essbarkeit

The fruit is edible but often considered bland, so ensure proper identification before consumption.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Long, flat, succulent leaf-like stems
• Large, fragrant, white nocturnal flowers
• Wavy or scalloped stem margins
• Stems can grow quite long
• Produces small, reddish, edible fruits

Höhe

1,5 bis 3m

Breite

1 bis 2m

Blätter

green, evergreen

Blüten

white, 10 bis 15cm

Früchte

red, purple, Late summer

Häufige Probleme

• Mealybugs — Small white cottony insects that cluster in stem crevices.
• Root rot — Caused by overwatering or poorly draining soil.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

cuttings, seed

Pflanzzeit

spring, summer

Überwinterung

Move the plant to a frost-free location indoors before temperatures drop. Keep it in a bright spot and reduce water to a minimum until spring growth resumes.

Im Kübel

It thrives in containers, which allow you to move it indoors during cold weather, and prefers a pot with excellent drainage.

Group this plant with other tropical epiphytes to create a microclimate that maintains higher humidity.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Orchidaceae — They share similar epiphytic light and moisture requirements.
• Polypodiopsida — They provide a complementary lush texture and enjoy similar humidity levels.

Ähnliche Arten

• Selenicereus anthonyanus — It shares the same epiphytic habit and night blooming characteristics.

Botanisches

Familie

Cactaceae

Gattung

Epiphyllum

Ordnung

Caryophyllales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Tropical forests of Mexico and Central America.

Artenschutz

This species is not currently listed as endangered or threatened in its native range.

It grows as an epiphyte on tree branches, capturing moisture and nutrients from the air and decaying organic matter.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

night blooming nectar source

Bestäuber

Nachtfalter

Verwendung

ornamental, container plant, night garden feature

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Why won't my plant bloom?

It often requires a period of cooler temperatures and slightly drier soil in winter to trigger flowering.

How often should I water it?

Water when the top few centimeters of soil feel dry, but reduce watering significantly during the winter.

Woher der Name kommt

The name Epiphyllum comes from Greek words meaning upon the leaf, referring to how the flowers appear to grow from the leaf-like stems. The specific epithet oxypetalum means sharp-petaled.

Gut zu wissen

• It is often called the Queen of the Night.
• The flowers are highly fragrant to attract nocturnal pollinators.
• It is a cactus that grows in trees rather than in the ground.